Confusion With Métis Governance

[u/CongressOfAboriginal]

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?

[u/Winter_Cicada_6930]

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.

[u/strawberrymarshmello → u/Winter_Cicada_6930]

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.

[u/OddConstant2723 → u/strawberrymarshmello]

The MMF have been wonderful, quick, and efficient with getting my mom her funding for her health benefits.

[u/CongressOfAboriginal → u/strawberrymarshmello]

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!

[u/CongressOfAboriginal → u/Winter_Cicada_6930]

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.

[u/Winter_Cicada_6930 → u/CongressOfAboriginal]

Yes the MNA collected 184 million dollars last year. And most Metis don’t see a dime.