A Statement from MN–S President Glen McCallum
Comments made yesterday by Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak regarding Métis people are unacceptable and we reject the characterization that our race and our Nation is non-existent. Suggesting that Métis people are simply pretendians or First Nations people who have been misidentified is harmful, ignores generations of Métis history, governance, resistance and self-determination.
I want to be clear that we respect the First Nations right to determine their own path forward and we are seeking the right to do the same. Métis people are rights holders under Section 35 of the Constitution, alongside First Nations and Inuit. No government or national organization defines who we are. Our identity is rooted in our own history, culture, values, language and nationhood, and our self-government work builds a Métis government by Métis people, for Métis people.
I want to recognize that across Saskatchewan, and especially in the north, First Nations are our neighbours and our family. Historic Métis communities like Île-à-la-Crosse and Cumberland House have histories that predate Confederation and reflect generations of Métis and First Nations people living alongside one another and sharing the land. Those relationships did not end, they persist in our families, our communities and our work together today. When Métis and First Nations succeed, Saskatchewan and Canada succeed with us. Indigenous peoples should lift one another up, and leaders must speak with accuracy and respect about the rights and histories of distinct Nations.
The Métis Nation knows who we are. Our ancestors fought for our recognition, and our people continue to advance our inherent right to self-determination and self-government. This issue raises a larger concern about Canada's relationship with Métis people. Too often, Métis voices are excluded from conversations or are expected to fit within processes built for others. There is no hierarchy of Indigenous peoples under Section 35. Recognition must go beyond the Constitution and be reflected in how Canada meets, engages and works with us.
Métis Nation–Saskatchewan represents the nearly 80,000 Métis people living in Saskatchewan and thousands of Métis citizens living in other parts of Canada whose rights, interests, and economic impact extend across regions that are increasingly important to the future of Saskatchewan and Canada’s economy. Economic reconciliation means Métis people share fully in that future as partners, owners and decision-makers in the projects and industries that shape our lands and communities.
We are a government focused on results and on creating opportunities that benefit our citizens while strengthening the Canadian economy. Our Nation deserves to be heard directly by the Government of Canada. That is why we are calling for direct, bilateral engagement with our Métis government, including a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss how we can work together.
We remind Canada of the commitments we have made together. Métis Nation–Saskatchewan has signed self-government framework agreements with Canada that recognize Métis people and our right to govern ourselves. Upholding those agreements is Canada's duty, and the honour of the Crown calls for a direct relationship with our government. We invite the Prime Minister to meet with us and take up the generational work that lies ahead. Government-to-government, at the same table, we can build a relationship strong enough to serve our children and grandchildren long after us.
Respectfully,
Glen McCallum
President
Métis Nation–Saskatchewan
(A PDF version of the statement is here.)