Metis Leaders Gather For National Assembly

Metis Leaders Gather For National Assembly

Friday, March 18, 2005 at 15:48

 

 

Metis leaders from across the country are arriving in Calgary for this weekend’s Metis National Council general assembly.

 

MNC President Clem Chartier expects much of the discussion to centre around the 2003 Supreme Court decision on Metis hunting rights.

 

Chartier says although numerous meetings have taken place between the MNC and the federal government over the issue, not much has happened.

 

Alberta is currently the only jurisdiction that has adopted a subsistence harvesting policy directly influenced by the Powley case, and that has Charier frustrated.

 

Chartier also plans to discuss the federal government announcement last fall which saw $700 million dollars in health money directed towards Aboriginal groups.

 

He says under the terms of the deal, provincial Metis organizations apply for the money by approaching their respective provincial governments.

 

Meanwhile, Chartier says there are no plans to discuss the current impasse between the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan and the provincial government, but it could possibly be brought up on the floor.

 

A tribute to metis veterans and a memorial video of the life of activist Harry Daniels are also planned for this weekend’s event.