We have a choice to make.

It appears that the Métis National Council leader Clem Chartier is threatened by other Métis organizations, evident by calling them “rump groups” and fly-by-night groups.” The context is that the Supreme Court has accepted the Métis Federation of Canada as an intervener in the Daniels Appeal. As well, the BC Métis Federation is scheduled to meet with the government of Canada special representative Tom Issac discussing Métis rights.

Once again, the stated position of the BC Métis Federation is that any Métis organization should mutually recognize each other on the basis of our historic difference resulting from the interaction between indigenous nations and settler societies. Our principles continually bring us back to our goal of re-creating ‘homeland viability’ for Métis “nations” and re-establishing enduring partnerships between Métis, First Nations, Inuit and Canadian communities.

The BC Métis Federation is committed to thinking and acting in ways that promote the long-term health, capacity and well being of Métis ‘homelands’ in Canada. Our vision is to lay a foundation that will allow successive generations of Métis to be full participants in Canada’s cultural, political and economic future.

The BC Métis Federation calls upon other Métis organizations to join other forward looking Métis leaders across Canada who are speaking in the language of partnership (nation to nation) so that we can get on with the more important work of getting governments, corporations and courts to begin thinking in those terms and speaking in that language as well. We desire to create a shared-future with Métis political organizations that are open to creating policies that translate competing interests into cooperative action in order to open up possibilities and opportunities for all Métis Nations in Canada.

Click here to read the Métis National Council Newsletter July 2015