Darrell Stranger
APTN News
The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) has been suspended until further notice by the Métis National Council (MNC).
The move comes after the MNC put the MNO on a one year probation period in November of 2018.
The issues was over granting Métis citizenship to people living in eastern Ontario.
The MNC says they’re not part of the Métis Nation.
MNO President Margaret Froh issued a statement along with the document.
“Since our three Métis governments signed historic self-government agreements this past summer we have been looking for ways to collaborate, to take the gains we have made and really roll up our sleeves and move forward on self-determination and self-government on behalf of all Métis citizens,” she said.
“This was a historic opportunity to create a shared vision and to finally see the dream of Métis self-government realized.”
MNC Vice-President David Chartrand disagrees with the document the three governments created and believes they’re avoiding the true matter at hand.
“They made a decision to create this new tri-council and try to disguise it as self-government, but it’s not self-government,” Chartrand said. “They try to disguise it, they’ve also made it very clear, they created this situation for themselves, they need to justify now to all of the Metis citizens of the west, how come they’re not following the resolution as stated very clearly in the 2018 directive that the Metis national Council, which they’re a member of, they did not ensure that Ontario follow those rules.”
In a response to the suspension handed down by the national council, the MNO put out a press release opposing the decision.
“This latest exchange by President Chartier while anticipated, is yet another unfortunate step away from what MNO, MNA and MNS have been consistently calling for; opportunities for all Métis governments across the homeland to be working together to advance shared governance priorities and collective interests. This latest action demonstrates a lack of leadership, it does not serve the interests of advancing the Metis Nation and reflects poorly on all of us.”
The Metis National Council General Assembly is set to take place in April in Winnipeg where a new president will be elected.
The issue of reinstating or outright removing MNO from the council will also be discussed according to Chartrand.
@darrellstranger
Chartrand runs to possibility of discovering METIS are coast to coast to coast. If the East coast METIS were first & formed like us RED River METIS then obviously the shoe would be on the other foot. METIS are METIS as we can all prove our Aboriginal blood lines. Red River more Scottish & Ontario East more French +- Potato potatoe! We all know & accept on definition but when our leadership does not they are no longer leaders! BRAD BLANDIONE MNA
What makes a Métis, a Métis anyway?
Western Metis defeated and surrendered into poverty prison enslavement reservations requiring an elusive permit to be off the reservation do not despite claims to recognize all Metis east of the Ontario Manitoba border. Eastern Metis are un-defeated un-surrendered un-ceded non Canada Govt Indian Act entrapped welfare peoples even if Canada refuses to recognise us
Let Chartrand throw his hissy fit. His side has clearly lost the debate on historic and political terms. All he’s accomplishing is the destruction of the MNC.