FIRST MINISTERS MEETING ON ABORIGINAL ISSUES
Opening Comments - MNC President Clem Chartier

On behalf of the Métis Nation, I begin by saying how pleased we are to be participating in this type of meeting, at the highest political level in the country.

I commend you, Prime Minister, for having the vision (and quite frankly the courage) to call this meeting. First Ministers Meetings, by their very nature are never easy.

Within this meeting, First Ministers have additional government perspectives that must be addressed. Namely, those of the three constitutionally-recognized Aboriginal peoples.

Without a doubt, we have our work cut out for us. This meeting requires boldness, vision and compromise in order to be a success.

This meeting cannot be a “one-hit-wonder” if we are to make real progress on transforming the relationships and achieving results.

With this in mind, today and tomorrow, the Métis Nation will be pushing for a commitment that two more of these meetings will be held over the next decade in order to measure our progress and be held to account for the collective commitments made at this meeting.

The Métis Nation, as one of the constitutionally-recognized Aboriginal peoples, has a distinct culture, unique language (Michif) and democratic self-government structures.

Our traditional territory that spans the Prairies and extends into Ontario, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the northern United States.

For generations, we have proudly contributed to the building of this great country and have sought the implementation of Métis self-government within the Canadian federation.

Unfortunately, since the birth of Canada, the Métis have always had difficulty securing our rightful place within the federation.

We have struggled with Canada on the battlefield, in the political arena, and in the courts to defend our nationhood, our lands, our rights and our culture.

John A. Macdonald had one vision for Canada. It was one that did not include the Métis Nation. To this end, his government and successive Canadian governments have implemented and sustained policies of deception, dispossession and denial against our people. The effects of these deception and dispossession policies towards the Métis still linger today.

From the shameful and ongoing breach of Canada’s treaty with the Métis, as a part of the Manitoba Act, to a fraudulent scrip system that dispossessed us of our lands, it is no wonder that so many of our communities are on life support today.

These deception and dispossession policies are complimented by ones of denial:

• Denial of jurisdiction to deal with the Métis.
• Denial of Métis rights.
• Denial of the very existence of the Métis people.

The effects of these denial policies still permeate the Métis reality in Canada.

Our children are denied early learning and child care approaches to assist them in their unique development needs.

Our communities are increasingly denied access to the resources that their local economies are built on, including traditional trapping, fishing and gathering industries which require immediate attention.

Our veterans are denied the respect and compensation they so rightly deserve for defending this country and the free world as we know it today.

Our harvesters cannot exercise their right to harvest for food without fearing charges and prosecution.

First Ministers, the denials must stop.

I am optimistic that this meeting is an important turning point for our people.

However, as we move forward together, we must build upon s. 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. In the recent Powley decision, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed the promise of s. 35 to the Métis.

Section 35 was intended to be a framework for us to sit down and work things out - together.

It was not to be used as a tool to push things to the courts to decide.

At its heart, it provides us a framework for moving forward on a nation-to-nation, government-to-government basis.

Pan-Aboriginal approaches cannot continue to be used as a way to stifle the implementation of self-government for First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation.

The Métis Nation is encouraged that there is movement, within come jurisdictions, towards beginning to fulfill the promise of section 35 to the Métis Nation.

Prime Minister, I want to commend your government’s efforts in supporting our work following the release of the Powley decision.

We believe your government represents a new era of renewal and hope for the Métis Nation.

An era where John A. Macdonald’s policies of deception, dispossession and denial are left in the past.

The recently signed Canada-Métis Nation Framework Agreement is an important recognition of the Métis Nation by the Crown. Further, the Framework Agreement provides a starting point for strengthening our bilateral relationship and moving towards implementing negotiations processes that will begin to address Métis self-government, a land base for Métis and outstanding claims.

Premier Klein, I also want to thank you and your government for entering into an Interim Métis Harvesting Agreement with the Métis Nation of Alberta. Alberta did the right thing. The honourable thing.

We hope that at our next meeting, we will have more success stories across the Métis Nation Homeland.

Premiers McGuinty, Doer, Calvert and Campbell, your governments need to work with us and adandon the policies of deception, dispossession and denial towards the Métis people. Our people are rightfully becoming increasingly frustrated.

Our people respect the laws of this land. However, these laws must be consistent with the Constitution of this land.

I am asking the Prime Minister and Premiers from Ontario west to commit that, within the next 12 months, their Ministers responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and Natural Resources will meet with the leadership of the Métis Nation to discuss Métis harvesting issues.

We hope that the prospect of this meeting will provide a much needed kick-start for provinces to address Métis harvesting rights and to begin to fulfill the promise of section 35 to our people.

Prime Minister, you have set out some very ambitious goals for us. Our people see hope in your bold vision and believe this meeting is a turning point.

We believe that under your continued leadership, coupled with the cooperation of other First Ministers, we are on a path that will achieve real improvements in the health and well-being of our people as well as secure the rightful place of the Métis Nation in this great country we all call home.

Thank you.

For more information:
Robert McDonald
Director of Public & Media Relations