Running on a platform of rights, results and community, Margaret Froh was re-elected as President of the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) for a second term of office on June 1st, 2020.
President Froh was elected along with provincial and regional leadership representing the rights and interests of communities and citizens throughout Ontario. This election boasted a very healthy display of democracy with almost all of the positions on the Provisional Council of the MNO (PCMNO) contested. At the same time elections were held for positions within the MNO Veterans’ Council and Youth Council.
While the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the cancellation of in-person voting by the Chief Electoral Officer and required that candidates engage the electorate in innovative ways, there was still solid voter participation. Fortunately, the MNO had already been working to introduce new technologies including the use of telephone and online voting options for the 2020 MNO election. The Chief Electoral Officer worked with OneFeather, an Indigenous election services company that specializes in web-based and telephone voting, to ensure that MNO electors would have every opportunity to exercise their right to vote.
“The safety and security of MNO citizens, families, and communities in this difficult time is our single most important priority,” stated President Froh. “So, I want to thank all the candidates, our electoral officials and staff, and the volunteers who assisted the various campaigns for their determination and unwavering belief in our democratic process.”
During her first term, President Froh and the PCMNO secured the ground-breaking Métis Government Recognition and Self-Government Agreement that sets a new government-to-government relationship between Canada and MNO.
“I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this second mandate. I extend my congratulations to the newly elected and returning members of the PCMNO and look forward to working with each and every one and indeed with all our communities and citizens to continue the momentum we have created together,” stated President Froh.
“To those PCMNO members that will not be returning, the MNO thanks you for your years of service. You have helped us all along the path to self-government, a remarkable achievement – we would not be here without you! And thank you to everyone who put their names forward as a candidate; discussing different points of view and debating the future is what our democracy is all about,” declared President Froh.
“By working together, the MNO has been able to accomplish so much over the last 27 years, but our work is far from over. Now, is the time for all of us to stand together in order to continue our collective fight for rights, uphold and advance the MNO Statement of Prime Purpose, and keep moving forward for our future generations.”
Click here to view the 2020 MNO election results
Posted on June 5, 2020