What’s the future of the Métis National Council? – Hill Times

December 16, 2024

OTTAWA—What’s the future of Métis National Council?

The federal government has always dealt with Métis differently than First Nations, and scrip is a good example. On the one hand, the early Indian Affairs Department was busy signing treaties with First Nations communities in the late 1800s, but, on the other hand, would only offer scrip or land ownership to a Métis male head of the family. Canada never gave Métis the benefit of community, and it was a loss that continues to reverberate through the years.

In 1982, Métis were recognized similarly as First Nations and Inuit under the Constitution Sec. 35. This created incentive for Métis to create its own National Indigenous Organization (NIO), and the Métis National Council (MNC) sprang forth in 1983. Not that the federal government consistently and honourably negotiated with Métis, which is another story.

Read More: https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2024/12/16/whats-the-future-of-the-metis-national-council/445074/