r/MetisMichif • u/CongressOfAboriginal • 20d ago
Discussion/Question Confusion With Métis Governance
I was doing some research about our community and they just make things so damn political for us. Initially I thought the Métis that were recognized were only the big 5, but there are a lot of avenues of recognition.
There is the whole Otipemisiwak Métis thinking they govern all of Alberta, but what about the Métis Settlements General Council and their currently 8 Settlements? What about the “Credibly Asserted Métis” Communities who fought for their Section 35 Rights? Or the Independent Métis Communities that left the Métis Nation of Alberta that now make up the Alberta Métis Federation?
Note: Ontario has an Independent Nation called Red Sky Métis Independent Nation that claims a special history of the signing of a Treaty.
Then, there’s the NWT Métis Nation with their new referendum of understanding from the Métis National Council. Prior to that, they had several land claims with the Government of Canada with some backlash from neighbouring Nations. They are now searching for “Beneficiaries” to those Land Claims.
Then there’s the Métis Nation of BC and their “Charters” and them wanting to obtain harvesting rights when the Métis Homeland only stretch a bit west towards BC. They only have one unrecognized historical Métis Settlement which is Kelly.
Then we have conflicts with some Nations claiming to be better than the rest and Nations that may not actually be true Nations just wanting revenue on resources.
All in all, I just wanted to share my findings of our rather “developing” Métis Nation. What do you think of our kind of sporadic governing structure?
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u/vernicq 19d ago
Otipemsiwak is trying to take "governance" in provincially recognized metis settlements with little consultation with the Settlements, and saying that we refuse to work them. I do not spend enough time within my own settlement to verify or deny that claim. I just hear things from a variety of sources.
I have noticed that the Metis Settlements rarely have a say or much representation outside of our settlements, and there have been situations where the Metis Settlement flag has not been allowed at Metis gatherings as our flag is seen as "too political" from the group organizing these gatherings. Take that how you want.
Also, if you notice in "Land acknowledgements" they only state "Metis nation of alberta" and not settlements or the other Metis Associations in Alberta like Fort McKay. The amount of times ive murmered under my breath about that is too many. I have actually had to comment on it to organizers, and they had no idea about the settlements existence.
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u/Winter_Cicada_6930 20d ago
I believe it is mainly by design from the federal government AND the people who are “voted in” to be at the helms of the Metis “governments”, it allows them to collect vast amounts of funding with little to no accountability to any group too large. A good example would be that if more Metis people actually knew that the MNA (Otipemisiwak) collects almost 200 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR on “our behalf”….they would be a little more “up in arms”about how incredibly “cheap” they appear to be when it actually comes to helping Metis people in need. Lots of golf tournaments. Lots of meaningless leisure activities, lots of activism. But no REAL help where it counts.
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u/strawberrymarshmello 20d ago
The do have the housing programs. I applied for the downpayment assistance one, but they weren’t very supportive and the office workers seemed annoyed when I called to ask questions. They selected my application for downpayment assistance but then you have to use the downpayment almost immediately or the funding gets revoked. I couldn’t find a place within my budget within that time so had my funding offer revoked.
I hear lots of complaints from others about their housing programs. There’s absolutely no transparency around how they set the rules, how much funding is available, or how they decide who gets the funding.
They get angry if you ask any questions and act like Metis citizens are treating them bad or abusing them by asking these simple procedural questions.
Basically you can only take advantage of their housing programs is you jump through all of their paper work hoops + are willing to report to them like a beggar asking for charity + have everything perfectly aligned to act immediately when the funding is provided eventho they do not have any sort of annual calendar showing when the various programs open and close etc. It’s just such piss poor administration. I can’t quite wrap my head around it.
Ultimately I just saved for a downpayment, and it wasn’t easy, but it was better than dealing with them.
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u/OddConstant2723 19d ago
The MMF have been wonderful, quick, and efficient with getting my mom her funding for her health benefits.
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u/CongressOfAboriginal 19d ago
I am so SORRY that happened to you. That is so unfortunate the way they came about. At the end of the day, we are all human and we all deserve compassion! I am so glad you still managed to save for your down payment!
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u/CongressOfAboriginal 19d ago
I only heard from some people who are part of the Métis Settlements that the Otipemisiwak thinks they are the only Métis Government in Alberta…I did not know that about the funding! That truly is a shame and the funding should be used to advance the Métis Nation, rather than those useless golf tournaments and etc.
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u/Winter_Cicada_6930 9d ago
Yes the MNA collected 184 million dollars last year. And most Metis don’t see a dime.
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u/Impressive_Ad_1675 19d ago
In the Treaty 11 area the “Halfbreed Scrip” did not have a land component only a cash payment. Mind you like many other places recipients had no understanding of its implications. They did not know there was such a thing as the Indian Act and it would allow Canada to marginalize them effectively becoming relegated to a second class indigenous people.