"Renewal and the Role of the Métis"

Notes for an address to the
Métis National Council

Ottawa, Ontario

February 14, 1997

I am pleased to be here today on behalf of the Honourable Anne McLellan, Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, and to have the opportunity to participate in the Métis National Council policy conference. This conference, of course, is one of the key elements of the bilateral process between the Privy Council Office and the Métis National Council. The bilateral process provides an important forum for the Métis National Council to discuss issues of mutual interest with federal government departments, and assists the Council in facilitating its work with those departments.

Your conference provides a timely forum for you to discuss various issues that governments are currently examining in the context of the renewal of the federation. It is also timely in that it follows fairly closely upon the release of the Final Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. I trust that you will have the opportunity over the next few days to have interesting discussions on many of the vital issues that confront us today.

In the past year, I have travelled much across Canada. I have come to appreciate as never before the vastness of our country and the invaluable contribution of our many diverse groups and communities, including that of the Métis people, to the edification of Canada. In my remarks this morning, I would like to say a few words about something we should all learn more about, which is the historic role of the Métis people in building our country, as well as the important continuing role the Métis have in strengthening national unity.

I would also like to address the renewal of the federation, and the significant role that the Métis people are playing in this endeavour. In that context, I would also like to discuss some notable developments that have occurred over the past few years in areas such as self-government for Métis and off-reserve Aboriginal people.

Working Together Toward National Reconciliation

The Métis people have left their imprint on the evolution of Canada, particularly the West, in a truly unique way. Indeed, the history of Canada would be much different without the contribution of the Métis people. With their remarkable adaptation of European and Indian languages and cultures, the Métis were logical intermediaries in the commercial relationship that arose from the development of the fur trade and the opening of the West.

The Métis of our early history were one of the principal determinants of Canada's expansion westward, not only in their vital economic role, but also in their role of protectors of that region from American incursions. The special qualities and skills of the Métis made them indispensable to our nation's development. They were traders, suppliers, freighters, couriers, interpreters, diplomats and guides.

They developed a new culture, one that is rooted in the history of Western Canada. Their "Metchif" language formed from a mixture of French, English, Cree and Ojibway languages.

They were inventors. They adapted European technology to a rugged wilderness, through innovations such as the Red River cart and the York boat, which facilitated the transport of large volumes of goods and supplies across the West to the far-flung outposts of the fur trade. The Métis developed their own forms of governance which ultimately resulted in the development of a new province, Manitoba.

Any discussion of nation-building and the Métis must of course make reference to the role of Louis Riel. As with many prominent figures in our history, Riel was a controversial figure in his day, and he has remained so. Whatever your point of view, Riel's accomplishments were numerous and they were significant. First of all, as a politician, I have to admire a man who was elected by acclamation three times to the House of Commons.

In examining Riel's controversial role in our history, I am struck in many ways by the parallels in what he faced at that time and the challenges we currently face in our efforts to strengthen the unity of our country. The population of the area of the Northwest at the time of Riel was about 12,000. It included about 6,000 French-speaking Métis, 4,000 English-speaking Métis, and 2,000 others from different nations. These individuals represented several different languages and cultures and several different religious views. In many ways, the Northwest of Riel's time was a microcosm of Canada as we know it today, with our many cultures, languages and traditions.

Louis Riel was an eloquent defender of Métis rights, as well as those of all members of his community, whether Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal, Anglophone or Francophone. He and his followers drew up a list of rights that protected not only his own people, but all of the settlers living in the Northwest Territories at that time. This is a remarkable contribution, especially when we consider the similarities between that list of rights and our own Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which came over one hundred years later.

Riel's list of rights, of course, became the basis for his negotiations on the terms of admission of Manitoba into Confederation, the Manitoba Act, which provided for certain guarantees for Métis people, including schooling and religious rights, as well as recognition of French and English language rights. Unfortunately, many of the achievements of the Manitoba Act were destined to be short-lived.

In the ensuing decades, the execution of Riel and the dispersement of the Métis people throughout the Northwest, along with the subsequent denial of language and religious rights in Manitoba, had a dramatic impact on the entire nation. Indeed, as a Quebecer, I am struck by how closely the destinies of Quebec and the Métis people are linked. Had Manitoba and Canada evolved in the vision of Riel and his followers, there would likely have been a much stronger Francophone presence in Manitoba, and perhaps in all of Western Canada. This would have affected the evolution of the Canadian federation, and may have avoided the sense of isolation from other parts of Canada that many Quebecers feel today.

That being said, we must look forward to the future. As Louis Riel said to his followers in the Northwest prior to the passing of the Manitoba Act: "Let us hope that the lessons of the past will guide us in the future!" Despite differences of language, religion and lifestyle, the Métis and the other settlers of the Northwest learned to live together in a bilingual climate. In our struggles of today, we need to take inspiration from this early chapter in the history of our nation. We need to be reminded of the words of Sir Wilfrid Laurier who, in 1886, very aptly described the lesson we need to draw from history. In condemning the Government's actions with regard to the Metis people, Laurier stated:

"Had they taken as much pains to do right, as they have taken to punish wrong, they never would have had any occasion to convince those people, that the law cannot be violated with impunity, because the law would never have been violated at all."

How true this is today! In order to avoid the bad one must promote the good. This is the approach the federal government is taking in the measures it is putting forth to address Métis concerns. I will be speaking about some of these measures later in my speech.

The Métis people have always worked to build and to strengthen this great country, and that role is as important now as it has always been. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the Métis people have been growing stronger and are continuing to make a valuable contribution to the evolution of our nation. Métis men and women today distinguish themselves in many fields of endeavour, such as business, education, law, medicine, and the arts.

I know how much you want to continue to play a strong role in our country's future. Indeed, your former president, now the Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba, Yvon Dumont, and your current president, Gerald Morin, have spoken out on many occasions about the desire of the Métis people for a strong and united Canada. Let us not forget the legacy of the early Métis nation-builders, as we continue to build this nation with the Canadian values of tolerance, justice, fairness, cooperation, sharing and generosity to all people.

Building Stronger Relationships

There are, of course, many aspects to building a nation, particularly in such a complex federation as Canada. As many of you may be aware, one of my key roles as Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs has been to coordinate the federal government's efforts in renewing and modernizing the Canadian federation. The Liberal government's vision is of a federation where the different orders of government work together to ensure Canadians receive the best possible range of services. To that end, I have been working with my colleagues and with the provinces and territories to clarify the roles of the different orders of government.

As you know, all governments today are facing difficult fiscal, economic, and social changes. But we have to deal with change in constructive and innovative ways if we are to ensure that all Canadians receive the programs and services and opportunities that underpin our social and economic future together. In some areas, we are building new relationships with the provinces and territories to ensure that our activities are complementary. We are working with the other orders of government to clarify our roles, to untangle them if necessary, and to ensure that we are working well together. In some areas, such as job training, we are withdrawing, recognizing that the provinces and territories are closer to the people who need these services, and therefore best able to adapt job training to their needs. In all cases, we are looking for new ways to ensure we are better able to respond to the needs of Canadians. I am happy to note that many of the issues which we as governments are addressing are issues that you have on your agenda for today and tomorrow -- issues such as social policy renewal, economic development and training, and the environment.

In meeting the challenges ahead, the federal, provincial and territorial governments cannot operate in a vacuum. While we are continuing to work with the provinces, we are also working with you. That is why the Prime Minister has asked us to ensure that the rights and interests of Aboriginal peoples are respected, and that the Aboriginal people have a voice in these endeavours. To that end, senior federal ministers, including Minister McLellan and I, have met on several occasions with the representatives of the national Aboriginal associations, including your president, Gerald Morin. These meetings have been extremely positive and have provided a valuable input to our work. As you may be aware, the focus of the follow-up work arising from the First Ministers' Meeting is on sectoral initiatives led by sectoral ministers. As such, I have encouraged Aboriginal leaders to pursue their concerns directly with the federal ministers who have the lead responsibility for specific initiatives to renew the federation.

The Métis National Council has been involved in regular discussions on renewal of the federation with officials from various departments, and, in her role as Federal Interlocutor, Minister McLellan and her officials will continue to ensure that you can work with the lead federal ministers on the various initiatives. In key areas, such as social policy renewal and the environment, officials from the Métis National Council have been meeting regularly with federal officials, thus ensuring that the views of the Métis Nation are taken into account. The feedback that I have received on these meetings, from both Aboriginal groups and federal departments, has been extremely positive. The input of the Métis National Council and its members is important to the development of these new relationships we are pursuing, and I look forward to your continuing participation in these efforts. At the same time, I would encourage you to take your views to the provinces, which also have a key role to play in the renewal of the federation.

Building Our Relationships With Métis

I often point to the flexibility of our federation as one of the key strengths of our federal system. It is flexible enough to adapt and evolve when faced with new challenges and new contexts. It is a flexibility that also allows us to respond well to the evolving aspirations of its different citizens, provinces, regions and cultures. Our approach to the renewal of the federation builds on this flexibility.

Our commitment to building effective relationships and finding innovative solutions is also the spirit which animates the federal approach to the implementation of the inherent right to and the negotiation of self-government for all Aboriginal peoples, including Métis, which was announced by the Honourable Ron Irwin and the Honourable Anne McLellan in August 1995. The federal approach to self-government is flexible enough to take into account the unique circumstances of the Métis people.

Rather than focusing on abstract discussions of self-government, the federal approach focuses on what works, to achieve the progress that we all want to attain in this important area. The federal approach contemplates various practical ways of implementing self-government for Métis people, including the development of institutions providing programs and services, the devolution of programs and services, and forms of public government. I believe the federal approach will ultimately result in the Métis people having control over self-government institutions, and correspondingly over the programs and services which are key to your future.

Of course, no one has the formula for exactly how self-government for Métis people will look in the future. But, by working together through tripartite self-government processes, we will find out what works most effectively to provide Métis people with the tools they need to build stronger, healthier communities. With its emphasis on practical progress, I am optimistic the federal framework provides a solid foundation for progress to be made on self-government, which will allow Aboriginal people to exercise their full social and economic potential.

Earlier, I spoke about the importance of improving collaboration between governments. Like the renewal of the federation, the negotiation of self-government is a challenging undertaking that will require the long-term commitment of all involved. Working together effectively is the key to the success of the self-government initiative. All parties need to be involved -- Aboriginal people, the federal government, the provinces, and the municipal governments.

Turning to some specific sectoral initiatives, I believe the federal government has taken some bold, pro-active steps in the area of federal programs and services. As you are aware, in the area of post-Pathways, the Métis National Council has signed a national framework agreement dealing with labour market training. I understand that some Métis National Council affiliates have already negotiated regional bilateral agreements under this framework, and that others are underway. This is an important step toward self-government.

I would also like to mention the Aboriginal Procurement program, the Aboriginal Justice strategy, and the Aboriginal Veteran's scholarship fund. These programs all offer evidence of the continuing benefit of governments working together with Aboriginal groups, including Métis people, to develop programs and services that meet the needs of your community. Some of them are of course at an early stage of development, and we will require your continued input to make them work.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I am reminded of a quotation from the Prime Minister, who said

"Our federation should be responsive to our common needs and diversity. It should show respect for each other and our institutions. It should involve partnership and dialogue with our governments and citizens."

As you progress through your conference, and address the individual issues that confront you, I invite you to keep in mind your necessary role in keeping our country strong and united, and in fostering the dialogue to which the Prime Minister was referring. I am confident that you will meet this responsibility with the same vigour and dedication that has always characterized the contribution of Métis people to Canadian society.

You have a continuing important role to play in the future of this country. The strength of the Métis Nation helped build this country and the strength of the Métis Nation will help bring it united into the 21st century. I wish to join Minister McLellan in expressing my best wishes for a successful meeting. Thank you.

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