(June 21, 2023 – Toronto, ON) Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare issued the following statement responding to the tabling of divisive legislation regarding the recognition of illegitimate “historic” Metis Communities on Indigenous Peoples Day:
“The federal government is introducing legislation today that would recognize the Métis Nation of Ontario’s communities as being section 35 rights-holders.” said Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare. “First Nations across Canada, including the vast majority of Chiefs in Ontario, have publicly raised serious concerns about MNO communities. The Manitoba Metis Federal has also raised concerns, so it is not just a First Nation issue.
On National Indigenous Peoples Day, the Governor General of Canada is planning to introduce legislation that undermines the inherent rights of First Nations, while ignoring the expressed concerns of First Nations Leadership from across the country. This is disrespectful to the First Peoples of Turtle Island and is contrary to the Crown’s obligation to engage in respectful and honest relations. That this legislation in being tabled in haste and without due consideration, thereby leading many of our people to question its true purpose.”
A report prepared by Dr. Darryl Leroux and Dr. Celeste Pedri-Spade examines four of the so-called “historic Métis communities” within the Robinson-Huron Treaty territory: Georgian Bay, Killarney, Mattawa, and Sault Ste. Marie.
“The report reveals that the Métis Nation of Ontario’s (MNO) research practices and ’evidence’ claimed to support its recognition are deeply flawed. The research findings show that the ’evidence’ used by the MNO does not meet the criteria set out in R v. Powley by the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) to recognize the existence of historic Métis communities.
Under R v. Powley, a Métis community wishing to acquire section 35 rights must prove its ties to a geographically localized, stable, identifiable, and continuous community of Métis, with a distinctive collective identity, and a shared way of life prior to when Europeans established effective political and legal control of the area.
“Using the MNO’s own documentation, the report concludes the MNO has not met this test and its standards. Rather, MNO’s recognition of these aforementioned communities relies on changing the identities of First Nations individuals into Métis, simply because they are mixed-race, and not because they identified with an existing Métis community. Mixed-race does not mean that someone is Métis.
First Nations in the Ontario region support the legitimate claims of Metis Peoples, but note that recognition of unfounded claims undermine legitimate inherent rights-holders and dilute section 35 rights.
“I call on the provincial and federal governments to read these reports before proceeding with the implementation of the Métis Government Recognition and Self-Government Implementation Agreement with the MNO and to provide a meaningful response to First Nations on how they intend to proceed given these research findings. The modern claims made by the MNO have no basis in historical fact or the law – under either Canadian law or the inherent laws of First Nations in Ontario.”
Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare (Gwiingos)
Further Reading
Robinson-Huron Waawiindamaagewin: An Exploratory Study of the Métis Nation of Ontario’s “Historic Métis Communities” in Robinson-Huron Treaty Territory
Media Advisory: https://waawiindamaagewin.com/2023/05/08/robinson-huron-waawiindamaagewin-chiefs-call-upon-canada-to-immediately-cease-all-action-relating-to-the-metis-government-recognition-and-self-government-implementation-agreement/ – May 8, 2023
Wabun Tribal Council: The “Historic Abitibi-Inland Métis Community” – Final Report
Manitoba Métis Federation:
https://www.mmf.mb.ca/wcm-docs/news/mmf-report-summer-20201-1_20210811134851.pdf
‘An existential threat:’ First Nations challenge Ontario Métis self-government deal – May 2, 2023
Opposition from First Nations mounts over Métis Nation of Ontario self-government deal – May 4, 2023
Government must reject exaggerated claims of Métis heritage – Nov 27, 2022
-30-
Chiefs of Ontario Position
The Chiefs of Ontario have long opposed rights assertions made by the Métis Nation of Ontario in our Ancestral and Treaty territories.
In 2011, the Chiefs-in-Assembly stated that First Nations are fundamentally opposed to the pan-Aboriginal approach of governments because they are inconsistent with the constitutional recognition and priority of First Nations Inherent, Aboriginal, and Treaty Rights. As the Original Peoples, we assert the primacy of First Nations Rights and reject any claim that we are all the same under section 35.
In 2018, the Chiefs-in-Assembly stated that certain Métis rights are wrongfully or unlawfully confirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, which were reaffirmed in the Powley decision of the SCC in 2003. The findings in this research report for RHW prove that, nearly five years later, they were correct.
The Chiefs-in-Assembly are deeply concerned with how the Métis Nation of Ontario is thwarting efforts by First Nations in different parts of the Ontario region to negotiate land claims, impact benefit agreements, treaty-land entitlements, and other land-based initiatives or processes.
First Nations in the Ontario region support the legitimate claims of Indigenous Peoples, but note that recognition of unfounded claims undermine legitimate inherent rights-holders. We assert that we are protecting our Inherent Rights given to us by the Creator and reject any claims of lateral violence—this is about preserving the legitimacy of Indigenous rights.
Media Contact:
Christopher Hoyos
Director of Policy and Communications
Policy and Communications Sector
Chiefs of Ontario
Telephone: (416) 579 4998
Email: Chris.Hoyos@coo.org
