Robert Doucette pictured in 2010. Photo courtesy Metis Nation – Saskatchewan, Facebook.
Former Metis Nation – Saskatchewan President Robert Doucette has filed a human rights complaint against Canada’s Indigenous Affairs Minister over the recently-announced Sixties Scoop settlement.
Doucette, a Sixties Scoop survivor himself, is alleging discriminatory actions against Metis, who have been excluded from the $800-million settlement.
In his complaint, Doucette writes — quote — “As a Metis person, I’m devastated and in a state of disbelief that Metis have been left out of the Sixties Scoop settlement.”
Doucette argues Metis are one of the three Aboriginal peoples recognized in the Canadian constitution. As such, he says Minister Carolyn Bennett has violated the Canadian Charter of Rights, violated the Canadian Human Rights Act and is disregarding the Supreme Court of Canada decision in the Daniels case which puts the Metis under federal jurisdiction.
Doucette says he has also written letters to Bennett and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and had not received a response as of the October 27 filing of his complaint.