Métis waiting on meeting today

Following a Superior Court ruling last month that upheld aboriginal hunting and fishing rights for Ontario Métis, Gary Lipinski said the Métis Nation of Ontario now can only wait to see if negotiations can be arranged at a meeting today in Toronto.
“We’re reluctantly optimistic at this point, and we know these things can move slow, but a meeting has been arranged between MNO president Tony Belcourt and Attorney General James Flaherty,” noted Lipinski, MNO chair and a member of the Sunset Country Métis.
“But if we can get any negotiations going, that’s a movement,” he added.
MNO council members will learn the outcome of the meeting during a conference call tonight.
Last week, Lipinski stressed the MNO wants to negotiate Métis rights with the provincial and federal governments rather than get caught up in court battles.
That might take a while, at least as far as Ottawa is concerned. Local MP Robert Nault, also minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, recently noted his department has not–and will not–consider helping the Métis.
“We have said since ‘day one’ that the Métis are not our jurisdiction so we have not had Métis as part of our policy programming,” he replied in answer to a question raised at the Rainy River District Municipal Association’s annual meeting on Saturday.
As for the province, Premier Mike Harris already has said he’s considering appealing last month’s court ruling, arguing hunting and fishing activity not regulated under the Game and Fish Act could affect conservation efforts.