The Blood Tribe Administration’s Membership department plays a vital role which administers two programs: the Indian Register and the Blood Tribe Band List. Under the supervision of Director Audrey White Quills, the Membership’s primary focus is to register all those entitled to Canadian Treaty Status and to take applications for the Blood Band List. Other duties include providing a liaison service for the Blood people with other First Nations and governmental agencies and to provide voter’s lists, per capita distribution paylists, assisting with tribal elections and referendums, and providing statistical data to Blood Tribe departments. The two programs the Membership department is involved with are the Indian Register and the Blood Band List. The Indian Register is controlled by Indian & Northern Affairs Canada whose authority is derived from the Indian Act. The Indian Register is a confidential record of all persons who are registered Treaty Indians in Canada in accordance with the Indian Act. The Indian Act is the Canadian federal legislation that establishes certain federal government obligations. It provides for the registration of persons as Indians, identifies who is entitled to be registered, sets the requirements for Band Lists and makes provisions for protests of decisions concerning registration and appeals. Since 1850, the Government of Canada has enacted legislation to define and determine Indian status and Band membership. The Blood Band List is controlled by the Blood Tribe through a by-law which was approved by the Government of Canada. This by-law is known as the Blood Tribe Membership Code 2000. Within the Membership Code are a number of criteria which identify who meets the definitions of membership to the Blood Tribe. The amendments to the Membership Code were approved by a majority of the electors of the Blood Tribe on March 24, 2000, and were ratified by Chief & Council on May 4, 2000. The Membership List is maintained by the tribe under the direction and supervision of Council. In the Membership Code regulations, duties are specified for the parties involved: Chief & Council, Tribunal and the Membership Registrar. The Chief & Council have the discretionary powers to make decisions related to Tribal membership. The process and completion of all applications is with the Membership Registrar. The Registrar does not have power to make decisions regarding acceptance or rejection of membership status, however, when applications are complete, which include the confirmation of all documents and relevant information, they are brought before Chief & Council for a decision. Due to the complexity and confidentiality of information contained in the applications, no one has access to the files except the Registrar and Membership staff. The Membership department adheres strictly to confidentiality and privacy codes of conduct in protecting member information and operates within the guidelines as established by the Access to Information and Privacy Act. The maintenance of this office is to assist in the distribution of per capita payments and to maintain accurate records of all payments. Other responsibilities include research requests for past payments and to provide such information to individual Band members. This office also adheres to strict code of ethics and upholds confidentiality. The Membership department has four employees who are committed to providing accurate and effective services. The Distribution office recently transferred to the Membership department from the Finance department. Due to the type of services the Blood Tribe Membership department has, it remains to play an important role within the Blood Tribe Administration. Its dual role as a vital statistics branch and enrollment office justifies its operation as an independent department with the Tribal Government Pillar.

• The following is the Mission Statement of the Membership department:
• To promote the rights and wellbeing of our nation under the powers we hold as unique people; To protect and exercise our inherent Treaty and Aboriginal rights, to preserve and protect our lands, our culture, our language and traditions, in the true spirit of Kainaysinni.