On June 17, 2023, the Métis Nation of Ontario held a Special General Assembly in Toronto, Ontario to follow through on the next steps related to the Registry Review process and the results of its province-wide Plebiscite. The assembly passed a special resolution approving amendments to the MNO Bylaws and MNO Registry Policy to allow for the removal of citizens from the MNO Registry whose citizenship files do not meet the current requirements for MNO citizenship. This special resolution also adopted MNO Policy #2023-001: Citizen Removal Appeals Policy (“Appeals Policy”) to provide citizens subject to removal with an appeals process (if they so choose).

The Citizen Removal Appeals Policy (“Policy”) provides that the PCMNO will appoint an Appeal Decision-Maker to “independently review and consider” appeals under the Policy. Consistent with the PCMNO’s previous direction that the Appeal Decision-Maker  be “a retired judge, mediator, or arbitrator” (PC230420-04),  the PCMNO appointed the Honourable Justice Robert Sharpe to this role (PC230815-04). In addition to Justice Sharpe’s extensive legal background as an Ontario trial and appellate judge (1995-2020), arbitrator, lawyer, and legal professor, Justice Sharpe also brings with him a familiarity with Métis in Ontario as the author of the Ontario Court of Appeal’s decision in the Powley case. You can read more about Justice Sharpe here: https://www.arbitrationplace.com/arbitrator/robert-j-sharpe

MNO citizens with incomplete files will be sent a Removal Notice by letter that provides information about their pending removal as a member/citizen of the MNO, more information on the processes set out in the above-noted special resolution, as well as details about their individual file.

The letter will also contain information about how a citizen may appeal their Removal Notice by filing a Citizen Removal Appeal Form (“Appeal Form”) in accordance with the Appeals Policy. A copy of the Appeal Form is included at Appendix A to the Appeals Policy.

Appeal Forms must be received by the Appeal Administrator on or before the above-noted deadline at appeals@mnoappeals.ca or at:

MNO Appeals
PO Box 87026
Ottawa RPO BANK GILMORE, ON, K2P2P1

Filing an appeal will not automatically result in a Removal Notice being cancelled or an MNO citizenship file being deemed “Complete.” The removal, however, will be put on hold until a final decision has been made in your appeal.

For more information you can also call 613-565-2622.

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