Family Homes on Reserve and EPO's

Kisutasik Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq apoqnmuaji Wkjiksu’k matnuj kisna ewlo’tasilij, ma’ asite’tasilikl wen wji’numuml kisna wte’piteml kikja’silin wiki’tij. Ta’n pasik tele’k na’kwek kisna wela’kw kisutasitew elmiaq na’talitpiaq koqoey.

Kisutasik koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq na ilsutaqn ta’n ejikla’latl o’pla’tekelitl wikuaq.

• wjit keknue’k teli-pkije’k , ta’n tplutaqn wije’wmumk teluek

• ta’n tel-nuta’q (nkutey matnuj wen) 

Kisi-kwilutk wen Kisutasik Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq kisna ika’latl na’tuenl pilue’l kwilutmakun, elmiaq tplutaqn  aqq ilsutekemkewey asite’tk tla’sin. Tplutaqn-iktuk etek ta’n wen app kisi-kwiluttew. Kisi-mknut ilsuteket kisuttew ta’n pasik tujiw Kisutasik koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq.

Kisutasik Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq elukwek wjit:

• Nuta’q tepqatmoq wen jikla’luksin kikuaq ankmayiw kisna ke’sk mu pekije’nuk.

• Nuta’q na’tuen piluey wikit kikuaq jikla’sin.

• Wetqulut na’tuen mu kikja’sin kikuaq.

• Nuta’t nuji-kla’qa’luet jiko’teken elmiaq ta’n wen eso’t  tewo’toq wutmo’taqn kikuaq.

• Kis-wiaqa’ten nuji-ilsuteket kisutkl tela’tekemkl ikalan wenl aqq wutmo’taqn.

An Emergency Protection Order or EPO can help victims of family violence by keeping a spouse away from the family home. It can be ordered almost any time of the day in an emergency.

An EPO is a court order that removes one spouse from the family home:

• for a specified period of time, depending on which law applies

• on an urgent basis (such as in situations of family violence)

A person may apply for an EPO on their own, or have another person apply for them, if the law allows this and the court agrees this should happen. The law describes who else may apply.  A designated judge can grant an EPO at any time.

An EPO can also:

• require the spouse to leave right away or by a certain time;

• require any other person who lives in the family home to leave the home;

• ban a person from being near the home;

• require a peace officer to supervise while the banned person removes personal belongings from the home;

• include any other conditions a judge says are needed to protect the person or property.

Tmk, ankapte’n teken tplutaqn wije’wmumk.

Ula ewikasikl No’pa Sko’siaewe’l l’nue’kati’l  ala’tu’titl tplutaqne’l Wjit Tepqatmu’tijik Wutmo’taqnuew ta’n wettaqne’wasik Kisutasik koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq.

Tplutaqnn wjit Tepqatmu’tijik Wutmo’taqnuew ta’n wije’wmi’tijl l’nue’kati’l etekl ula tett. Naji-ankapte’n teltek tplutaqn etek kwutanmuaq mtmo’taqnewo’kuo’m kulaman maw-kejikawey tplutaqn nentesk.

• Pictou Landing, No’pa Sko’sia: Kesikewiku’s 16, 2014

• Millbrook, No’pa Sko’sia: Kesikewiku’s 1, 2014

• L’sitkuk, No’pa Sko’sia: Kesikewiku’s 16, 2014

• Paqtnkek, No’pa Sko’sia: Kesikewiku’s 18, 2014

• Sipekne’katik, No’pa Sko’sia: Wikumkewiku’s 25, 2015

• Maupeltu, No’pa Sko’sia: Penatmuiku’s 30, 2016

Etuk jel mu kaqi-tepesknukl ula ewikasikl wutann.   Kanataewey L’nuey Mttmo’taqney etekl tplutaqnn wije’wmi’titl l’nue’kati’l ewikasikl websitemuew.

Mattaqte’kney-iktuk kisi-kwilutmn Kisutasik  wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq. Mu nuta’nuk wi’kmn koqoey ta’n tujiw etawen Kisutasik koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq. Kis-kwilutmn Kisutasik Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq ta’n pasik tami eymn No’pa Sko’sia mattaqatekewj 1-866-816-6555. Pipanikesi kwutanmuaq mtmo’taqnewo’kuo’m ta’n amujpa tela’teken elmiaq kwilutmn Kisutasik Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq na’te’l. Eykik kisi-mknujik ta’n kis-kwiluttaq wjit ki’l.

Kisi-kwilutmn Kisutasik Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq tlia’ mu i’muk ta’n wen eso’t aqq tlia’ mu kjijituk kwilutmn. Ta’n kisi-mknut nuji-ilsuteket iloqaptitew kwilutmamk. Elmiaq msnimn  Kisutasik  Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq, nuji-kla’qa’luet kisna nuji-koqqwa’luet kinua’tuatal wenl eso’ksilitl. Ke’sk mna’q pekije’nuk, Kisutasik Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq apu’aten iloqaptmn nuji-ilsuteket mawi-espe’k etli-ilsutekemk. Ilsutekemk, nuji-ilsuteket kinua’tuaten koqoey piluey elui’tmasutiey ta’n teluek aqq na tujiw iluttew siawa’siktn, sa’se’wa’tasiktn kisna naqa’tasiktn Kisutasik Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq.

Iloqapte’n keknue’k tplutaqney ta’n we’wasiktitew wjit ki’l kulaman kjijitesk ta’n tlitpietesk elmiaq kwilutmn Kisutasik Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq.

First, find out which law applies.

In Nova Scotia, the following First Nations have passed their own Matrimonial Real Property (MRP) laws that govern EPOs. 

A copy of the MRP for each First Nation is provided here. You should check with your Band Administration Office to make sure that this is the most recent version of the law.

• Pictou Landing First Nation, Nova Scotia: December 16, 2014

• Millbrook First Nation, Nova Scotia: December 1, 2014

• Bear River First Nation, Nova Scotia: December 16, 2014

• Paqtnkek Mi’Kmaw Nation, Nova Scotia: December 18, 2014

• Sipekne’katik First Nation, Nova Scotia: September 25, 2015

• Membertou First Nation, Nova Scotia: April 30, 2016

The list provided here may not be complete. Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) keeps a list of laws of each band on this website.

You can apply for an Emergency Protection Order over the phone. You do not have to complete any paperwork to apply for an EPO. You can apply for an EPO anywhere in Nova Scotia by phoning 1-866-816-6555. Check with your Band Administration Office for the application process that applies in your community. Some designated people may apply on your behalf. 

You can apply for an EPO without the other person being present or knowing about the application.  A designated judge will consider the application.  Generally, if the EPO is granted, a police officer or sheriff will tell the other person. The EPO will also be sent for review by a Supreme Court Justice within a very short period.  At the review hearing, the Supreme Court Justice will hear any additional evidence and will then confirm, vary, or terminate the EPO.

Refer to the specific law that applies to you to determine exactly what to expect when making an application for an EPO.

Pilue’k wenik Kanata tepkisa’ti’tij kisna puna’lti’tij, kisna nepilij wikma’jl, etekl tplutaqnn kisi-lita’suattal kulaman wutmo’taqnuow aqq koqoey alsutmi’tij menaqaj tli-tpi’ketten.

Mu etenuk ula apoqnmasuti wjit wenik etli-tqwa’majik l’nue’katik ta’n pema’lukwi’tij L’nuey Tplutaqney. Tela’sik ula mita L’nuey Tplutaqney mu wesku’tasinuk ta’n wenik wutmo’taqnuow aqq koqoey alsutmi’tij menaqaj tli-tpi’ketten aqq telutasiksip Kanataewey mawi-espe’k etli-ilsutekemk tplutaqnn wjit ula koqoey mu elukwenukl L’nue’katik. Tela’sik ula mita l’nue’kati’l maliaptikl Kanataewey kaplno’l, mu saqamawewa’ki’l tali-alsutekenukl l’nue’katik.

Ula kisa’toqsip mu menaqaj kisi-maliaptasinuk koqoey aqq msit wenik L’nue’katik we’tuo’tmi’tij api’s e’pijik aqq mijua’ji’jk.

Ta’n Wkjiksu’k Wikultijik L’nue’katik aqq Teli-alsutekemk Tepqatmumkewe’l Koqqwaja’taqnn teluekl mimajuinu’k wikultijik l’nue’katik ala’titl nkutey lita’suaqnn aqq koqqwaja’taqnn staqa pilue’k wenik wikultijik Kanata. Ula Kanataewey tplutaqne’l we’jittesk tett.

For most Canadians experiencing separation or divorce, or the death of a spouse or common-law partner, there is legal protection to ensure that the matrimonial real property assets are distributed fairly.

These protections did not exist for couples living in a First Nation community as governed by the Indian Act. This was because the Indian Act did not address the issue of matrimonial real property rights and a decision from the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that provincial/territorial laws relating to this issue could not be applied on reserves. This is because reserve lands fall under federal jurisdiction, not provincial jurisdiction.

This caused a gap in the law that affected everyone living on reserves, particularly women and children.

The Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act ensures that people living on reserves have similar protections and rights as other Canadians.  This federal legislation can be found here.

Mawikwajik Elmiwtaqamu’kewaq Mi’kmaq kisitu’tis ekinua’tekek wi’katikn wesku’tkl Tlputaqne’l Wjit Tepqatmu’tijik Wutmo’taqnuow aqq wije’wmi’titl ula l’nue’kati’l:

• L’sitkuk, No’pa Sko’sia: Kesikewiku’s 16, 2014

• Millbrook, No’pa Sko’sia: Kesikewiku’s 1, 2014

• Paqtnkek , No’pa Sko’sia: Kesikewiku’s 18, 2014

• Pictou Landing, No’pa Sko’sia: Kesikewiku’s 16, 2014

• Sipekne’katik, No’pa Sko’sia: Wikumkewiku’s 25, 2015

• Ula wi’katikn we’jittesk tett.

Ekinua’taqn: Ula wi’katikn mu wije’wmi’tik Maupeltu. Pipanikasi Maupeltuewey mtmo’taqnewo’kuo’m wjit tplutaqne’l ta’n wije’wmi’titl.

The Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq (CMM) has developed a helpful guide describing how the MRP laws apply to the following First Nations:

• Bear River

• Millbrook

• Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation

• Pictou Landing First Nation

• Sipekne’katik First Nation

• You can review this helpful guide here.

Note:  The Guide does not apply to Membertou. Check with the Membertou Band Administration office on the law there.

Mu wikiwun L’sitkuk, Millbrook, Paqtnkek, Pictou Landing, Sipekne’katik kisna Maupeltu, katu wikin l’nue’kati No’pa Sko’sia, Kanataewey tplutaqn wjit Ta’n Wkjiksu’k Wikultijik L’nue’katik aqq Teli-alsutekemk Tepqatmumkewe’l Koqqwaja’taqnn wije’wmumk.

Asite-klusimkl wjit koqoe’l kaqi’sk pipanikesimkl wjit ula tplutaqney, we’kaw kinua’taqney wjit Kisutasik Koqoey wjit Elmiaq Na’talitpiaq (ankapte’n FAQ 16) we’jittesk tett. 

If you do not live in Bear River, Millbrook, Paqtnkek, Pictou Landing, Sipekne’katik or Membertou, but you do live in a First Nation community in Nova Scotia, the federal Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act will apply. 

Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about this legislation, including information about Emergency Protection Orders (see FAQ 16) can be found here.