Manitoba Métis leaders announced Wednesday who intend to boycott this week’s summit with Prime Minister Mark Carney because the Liberal Government includes the Methis Nation of Ontario (MNO).
Other Methis groups also express their concern about the process after confirming that they were not invited to Thursday’s meeting in Ottawa to discuss the recently approved law of the federal government to accelerate important projects.
It is the last of the three summits called this summer to relieve the concerns of indigenous peoples about the law, known as bill C-5, but it is not clear how many people will even be there.
“We will not attend that summit,” said the president of the Manitoba Métis Federation, David Chartrand, at a press conference within the Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa on Wednesday morning.
Flanked by his cabinet, Chartrand told journalists that he considers Mno a “fraudulent” organization with which Manitoba leaders cannot share a table.
“For the prime minister, the door is open. If you want to come and sit with my cabinet in a government to government, we will meet,” he said.
“But if you want to insult us, we will see each other in a different political kingdom in the future. So unfortunately, it is a sad day for us. Really.”
In an early interview on Wednesday, a MNO spokesman pointed out the group of signed self -government of the group with Canada, discarding any concern of Manitoba.
“We are here to talk about our serious concerns about C-5 and our serious concerns about Canada’s position worldwide,” said Mitch Case, provincial secretary of Mno de las Metis rights, intergovernmental relations and communications.
In 2003, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized the existence of a Methis community that carries the rights in Sault Ste and its surroundings. Marie, Ontario. In question, however, there are six “New Historic” MNO and the Ontario Government together in 2017.
The first nations in Ontario compete in the legitimacy of the communities and MMF, the federally recognized government for the Red Métis River, retired from the National Methis Council in 2021 for the dispute.
Case said that it would be indefensible for Canada to exclude Ontario Metis, adding that the goal should be a collaborative way to address the economic threats of the United States while protecting the environment and respecting indigenous rights.
“That is the conversation we are here.
Not all invited methods
Chartrand indicated that Canada invited the four Methis groups that have signed self-government agreements: otypemisiwak Methis Government (OMG) in Alberta, Methisis Nation-Asakatchewan, MMF and MNO.
But there are some communities, such as Fort Chipewyan Meti Nation in northern Alberta, which do not belong to any provincial body. An official of that community said that this process “is not an adequate consultation”, since Fort Chipewyan Metis is not represented by OMG.
“It goes against reconciliation, and the process seems to be defective from the door,” said Carmen Wells, land and regulatory director of the Fort Chipewyan Métis nation.
Wells said the community chooses to have its own voice because it is located in “zero zone”,
In a region more affected by industrial development in Canada, oil sands.
“We also hope not to stay out of those conversations, since we are our own sovereign nation with constitutionally protected rights,” said Fort Chipewyan Metis Nation president Kendrick Cardinal in a statement.
Until recently, the National Methis Council had five members, but the departure of the MMF was followed by the nation of Methis-Saskatchewan and the British Methis Nation (MNBC) in 2024. Chartrand said that the National Council should not be included in the summit, even as an observer.
The BC group was not invited to participate in the Carney Summit, except as an observer, said MNBC president Walter Mineult, to CBC Indigeno. He said that MNBC is still an important interested part that deserves to be at the table, even if it lacks a formal self -government agreement.
“It is very disrespectful for our nation here in BC and our government, and it shouldn’t happen,” he said.
“We are very concerned about these problems in the future.”
Back in Ottawa, the president of the government of Otipemisiwak Metis, Andrea Sandmaier, focused on the meeting itself, calling it as an opportunity to ensure that the voices of Methis are heard.
“I think it is possible that the crown and our nation thrive together. We are not here to sustain or block progress,” he said.
“We are here to help shape a future where economic growth, environmental protection and indigenous rights advance together, and I think we have a very good opportunity for that to happen.”
Chartrand said he would not consider withdrawing the support of the MMF for C-5, but he offered Carney a heated warning against “stabb” the Red Río Métis and ignore his rights.
Indigenous CBC has communicated with the office of the Prime Minister of Comments, but did not receive an answer for publication time.
