Paige Desmond
Coinciding with Louis Riel Day, the Métis Nation of Ontario held its 2008 special presidents’ meeting/annual general assembly Nov. 16-18 in Toronto.
The conference brought together more than 250 Métis leaders and members from across the province for meetings, ceremonies, and Métis cultural events, including Clint Calder, president of the local Sunset Country Métis Council.
“The AGA is the forum to bring together all Métis communities from across Ontario to discuss issues of importance to all communities,” Calder noted. “It also provides an opportunity for the communities to provide input on the MNO’s future agenda.”
A definite highlight of this year’s event was the official signing of the historic Ontario-Métis Nation framework agreement by MNO president Greg Lipinski and Aboriginal Affairs minister Brad Duguid.
Calder called the agreement one of key importance to
Métis here.
“I would say that the issue that is most relevant locally is the Crown’s duty to consult with local Métis people with respect to development opportunities which might adversely impact Métis rights,” he explained.
Regional leaders had signed the agreement here back on Nov. 3 to make it official after being years in the works.
According to the MNO, the agreement “for the first time recognizes the existence of rights-bearing Métis communities in Ontario, the MNO’s representative role, and sets out a collaborative process to address Métis rights and the socio-economic issues faced by Métis children, families, and communities in the province.”
As per the agreement, any land traditionally or currently used by the Métis people to hunt, fish, or gather medicinal herbs cannot be used by industry without direct and meaningful discussion with the Métis.
This means Métis people have the right to a thorough consultation or discussion process between their community and the industry. Also, the industry involved must fully educate the Métis on the potential use of the land, as well as the potential effects on the land and the Métis lifestyle.
But while this one big step has been taken, Calder said there’s still more ground to cover. He said raising awareness of Métis issues in the Fort Frances area poses a great challenge—one which is made more difficult by lack of funding.
“While we have various programs that are delivered locally by MNO staff, the local Sunset Country Métis gets zero funding dollars and must rely on volunteers and fundraising activities, such as the Métis fish fry at the annual bass tournament,” Calder noted.
“One of the items on the MNO agenda is to try to get the Ontario and federal governments to provide core funding so that the local Métis communities could be in a position to be able to better assist local Métis citizens, much like the native friendship centres operate,” he remarked.
