Metis seek equality from Canadian programs and services

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Turtle Island Native Network
http://www.turtleisland.org

May 22nd, 2012

From health and education funding, to compensation for residential school survivors, the federal government is being accused of "betrayl" and "moral failure" when it comes to dealing with Metis as Aboriginal Canadians.

Their Aboriginal rights are supposed to be protected by the Canadian Constitution. But there are numerous examples of how the Harper government in Ottawa disrespects and denies Metis rights.

The Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples is examining "the evolving legal and political recognition of Metis identity in Canada".

Clement Chartier, President, Metis National Council recently testified that Metis are denied access to most federal programs and services for Aboriginal peoples, "because of the federal abrogation of its constitutional responsibility to deal with Metis".

Chartier elaborated on the exclusion of Metis from federal Aboriginal education and health care benefits.
"In its recent budget, the federal government terminated the minimal Health Canada funding provided the Metis National Council for health research and coordination for research work of its governing members."
"The exclusion of the Metis from federal Aboriginal postsecondary educational financial assistance makes no sense and speaks to Ottawa's lack of understanding of the life situation of Metis youth. While the gap in high school graduation rates between Metis and the general population has been considerably reduced, the gap in university educational attainment remains immense, due largely to financial barriers faced by Metis youth. It cannot be overstated how great the return on our investment in Metis postsecondary education would be if these financial barriers were removed, in particular those erected by the federal government's exclusionary policy toward Metis."

The Metis Nation leader explained Canada's exclusion of the Metis from federal programs and services is because of "the mantra that we are a provincial responsibility. I cannot overstate just how entrenched this jurisdictional barrier is in the mindset of the federal government in dealing with the Metis. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the federal government's refusal to date to take responsibility for compensating victims of Metis residential schools. . .Making their anguish so much worse was the raised expectation that their grievances would finally be redressed, as was the case during the 2006 election campaign when then opposition leader Stephen Harper promised compensation for the victims of the Metis residential school in IlealaCrosse, and then left out again when the new government took power. That the denial of their demand for justice should be based on jurisdiction and that it is the province's responsibility to deal with them undermines and vitiates the new beginning promised in the Prime Minister's apology to Aboriginal peoples on the floor of the House of Commons in June 2008. If not redressed, this betrayal of these Metis survivors, those still living often in poor health and broken spirit, will mark the foremost moral failure of the current federal government."

Chartier is calling on Canada to address Metis land claims and self government interests.

He cited what Metis hope will be a landmark legal ruling in their favour by the country's highest court. "On December 13, 2011, the Supreme Court of Canada heard the Manitoba Metis Federation v. Canada and Manitoba land rights case based on section 31 of the Manitoba Act 1870. This marked the culmination of a 30year battle in the courts to seek justice for the unfulfilled Metis land grants promised by the Manitoba Act 1870, itself a result of negotiations between the Metis provisional government of Louis Riel and the federal government of Sir John A. Macdonald. The Manitoba Metis Federation is seeking a declaration that will require the federal government to enter into negotiations of a contemporary land claims agreement, including selfgovernment with the Metis Nation."

(Link: http://www.scribd.com/doc/94418230/Metis-May-15-2012 )