Harvesting Policy
What's Next?

A rundown of post-Powley Initiatives

For the balance of this year and the beginning of next year, Head Office staff will be busy with issues connected to the new interim agreement. A number of administrative issues must be dealt with. These include:

• Continuing to process Harvester's Certificate applications and renewals; (Renewals and applications will continue to be processed according to approved policy and documentation submitted by applicants showing they meet the 'tests' set out by the Supreme Court of Canada in R v. Powley.)
  
• Continuing to ensure all Harvester's Certificate files are prepared for a mutually agreed upon independent evaluation of our Harvester's Certificate system;
  
• Continuing to do the required follow-up with government to define and develop the scope and area of "co-operative research" on some of our historic Métis communities and traditional harvesting territories;
  
• Continuing to ensure that all existing harvesting charges against MNO Harvester's Certificate holders are dropped and that no additional charges are laid against individuals who harvest under MNO's Harvesting Policy.

This fall, members of the MNO Executive and Negotiations Team will initiate a consultation process and be directly in touch with as many citizens as possible in order to communicate what the agreement is, what the Supreme Court of Canada said in "Powley", what the realities are, legally, for Métis, and to discuss views and concerns of MNO citizens.

MNO will continue to be represented at the multi-lateral meeting table that has been created (post-Powley) whereby the federal government, provincial governments from Ontario westward, and, Métis Nation governments, are all meeting to deal with matters arising from the Supreme Court of Canada decision on Powley.  

The Supreme Court of Canada decision and the interim agreement are historic, and, signal a collaborative approach on negotiations to deal with the many other issues that still remain and continue to effect Métis citizens. That work has finally begun.