MNO President Gary Lipinski (right) with the honourable Michael Gravelle,
the Minister of Natural Resource, following their meeting on April 18, 2012
On April 18, Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) President Gary Lipinski met with the Honourable Michael Gravelle, Minister of Natural Resources. While President Lipinski and Minister Gravelle have met numerous times in the past in the Minister’s former capacity as Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry, this was their first meeting since the Minister took over his current portfolio.
The meeting provided President Lipinski and Minister Gravelle with the opportunity to continue building on their positive working relationship. While there are areas of disagreement between the Ministry and the MNO, the Minister and President Lipinski expressed the desire to continue working together to address the concerns expressed by MNO citizens in the Resolution put forward at the 2011 MNO Annual General Assembly (AGA). The Minister indicated he was looking forward to attending the MNO AGA in August, where he plans on speaking to issues important to Métis people.
The meeting with the Minister is part of the on-going process of engagement between the Government of Ontario and the MNO outlined in the historic 2008 MNO-Ontario Framework Agreement. The Framework Agreement outlined areas of cooperation between the MNO and the Ontario government and has been crucial in advancing the Métis agenda in the province.