Self-Government in Action: MNO prepares to hold 28th Annual General Assembly
[OTTAWA, ONTARIO, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021] The Métis Nation of Ontario’s (MNO) 28th Annual General Assembly (AGA) is scheduled to take place virtually on Saturday, September 18 and Sunday, September 19, 2021. MNO President Margaret Froh will welcome leadership and Métis citizens from across Ontario to reflect on the achievements of the previous year, to set direction for the coming year, and to ensure their voices are heard on issues of importance to Métis families and communities.
The MNO AGA is an opportunity to citizens to be engaged, and is truly Métis self-government in action. This year, the MNO will be again bringing citizens together virtually as we continue to weather the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage vaccination for our citizens and communities. Despite our inability to gather in person, we look forward to engaging and connecting with all MNO citizens during this important assembly.
“As the MNO continues on its path to advancing our self-government, we welcome any opportunity for our citizens to come together in our collective work to advance Métis rights and self-determination,” stated President Margaret Froh. “We will to do everything we can to ensure citizens are informed and engaged. The MNO Annual General Assemblies are a fundamental part of our democracy, and COVID-19 will not limit our, nor our citizen’s, ability to exercise this essential right.”
Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the MNO has achieved incredible success with advancing reconciliation through Métis self-government rights, including the signing of the MNO-Canada Métis Government Recognition and Self-Government Agreement in June 2019. This agreement reinforced the government-to-government relationship between Canada and the MNO by recognizing the MNO as the government of rights-bearing Métis communities in Ontario, and recognizing that the communities represented by the MNO have the right to self-government and self-determination. These successes highlight the need to also make progress on addressing outstanding Crown duties, promises, and obligations to Métis as a critical part of advancing reconciliation with the Métis communities in Ontario.
As the MNO continues navigating the path to implement our self-government agreement—including through engagement with MNO citizens and Métis communities, and through reaching Regional Implementation Agreements and Workplans with all 9 MNO Regions—together we will build a strong Métis government for future generations of Métis citizens in Ontario!
“This year, the AGA coincides with “Powley Day” — September 19th.” said MNO President Froh. “On that day we will celebrate the 18th anniversary of the landmark victory at the Supreme Court of Canada in R v Powley that ended a ten-year legal battle and ushered in a new era of recognition for Métis rights. This year the Assembly will have a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to Steve Powley and the Powley family together.”
As in previous years, the 28th MNO AGA will commence with welcoming remarks from MNO President Froh and a virtual kitchen party on Friday, September 17, 2021 to be held via Facebook. The formal virtual MNO AGA will be hosted over the video-conferencing platform Zoom, which includes online voting and interactivity tools.
Citizens without internet access will be able to participate over the telephone. Pre-registration is required, and MNO citizens are encouraged to do so at their earliest convenience. Visit the MNO website or www.mnoaga.ca to learn how to participate.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Marc St. Germain
Director of Communications
Métis Nation of Ontario
marcs@metisnation.org
613-314-9402
Backgrounder
The MNO was established in 1993 and, through the collective will and efforts of Ontario Métis over the last 28 years, the MNO has evolved into a sophisticated and well-respected province-wide Métis government in the eyes of its own people, other governments, and third parties. The MNO currently has more than 24,000 registered citizens living throughout the province, 31 Chartered MNO Community Councils operating at the local level, and more than 360 staff delivering a comprehensive suite of programs and services to families and communities. On June 27, 2019, the MNO, along with the governments of the Métis Nation of Alberta and Métis Nation-Saskatchewan, signed the first ever Métis self-government agreements in Canada.