The appellant, a Manitoba Métis, was convicted of hunting deer out of season on unoccupied Crown land.
He appealed his conviction on the basis that, as a Métis, he was immune from conviction under provincial wildlife regulations because he had a constitutional right to hunt for food under paragraph 13 of the Manitoba Natural Resources Transfer Agreement (NRTA), which protects the hunting rights of 'Indians'.
The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed the appeal, holding that the term 'Indians' in paragraph 13 of the NRTA does not include the Métis, based on the historical context, the language used at the time of enactment, and the provision's objectives.
