Statement from the Métis Nation of Ontario on the Passing of Brian Mulroney
The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney will be remembered in the days ahead for countless important works during his service to Canada, but he will be remembered forever by the Métis for his commitment to working to advance Métis rights, especially self-government.
Mulroney commissioned the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People because he believed in the importance of understanding and working meaningfully with Canada’s Indigenous peoples. It remains the most comprehensive study of Indigenous Canadian history and has been critically important in advancing Indigenous rights, including Métis rights, in the courts.
Mulroney’s government also passed a unanimous resolution naming Louis Riel the founder of Manitoba.
But most importantly, Mulroney negotiated the Métis Nation Accord with the Métis National Council, including representation from the Métis Nation of Ontario. The Accord would have provided for Métis self-government and addressed other issues of importance to the Métis through a multilateral process. After the rejection of the Charlottetown Accord, however, provincial governments walked away from the table and the Métis had to start over.
30 years later, the federal government is once again trying to advance Métis self-government.
Our thoughts are with the Mulroney family.