CURVE LAKE—Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe says the Anishinabek Nation Chiefs-in-Assembly has rejected the Metis Self-Government Recognition and Implementation Agreement between the Metis Nation of Ontario and Canada in its current form.
“Our chiefs voted to reject their (Metis Nation) claims to their self-government agreement with the federal government,” Grand Council Chief Reg Niganobe told The Expositor. “There was unanimous support on this motion.”
“Basically, we recognize this self-government agreement would lead into land and resource issues,” said Grand Council Chief Niganobe. “Absolutely it does, our First Nations connections have been in place since the start and now this relatively new group could potentially interrupt these rights and jurisdictions.”
The Anishinabek Nation Chiefs-in-Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on day two of the Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Assembly on June 8. The 39 Anishinabek First Nations continue to assert that they are the only holders of inherent rights and jurisdiction over their traditional and treaty territories and that this history cannot be rewritten to create a narrative of nationhood for the Metis where one does not exist.
“This resolution highlights the importance of understanding treaties as sacred covenants between Nations and the Crown, recognizing the inherent rights and title First Nations,” said Lake Huron Regional Deputy Grand Council Chief Travis Boissoneau. “The Metis Agreement commits to granting treaty right recognition to numerous Metis community partners across Ontario without transparency in determining what constitutes a ‘Metis community’ as per the Powley decision,” an Anishinabek News release states.
The Powley case emphasized that self-identification as Metis must be genuine and cannot be made belatedly or opportunistically solely for the purpose of benefitting from Section 35 rights, the release continues.
The Metis recognition and agreement lacks consultation with the Anishinabek Nation regarding the granting of treaty rights to numerous individuals across Ontario. The Anishinabek Chiefs-in-Assembly emphasize the need for transparency in determining Metis community, Metis citizenship and Indigenous rights. Once this transparency is established and the nature and scope of any non-constitutionally protected right are justified, there is a duty to consult and accommodate potentially impacted First Nations.
“Canada needs to immediately cease further implementation of the Metis agreement in its current form,” said Grand Council Chief Niganobe. “This agreement is an impediment to our sovereignty and jurisdiction. Meaningful consultations and accommodations with Anishinabek First Nations must occur before the agreement is considered for adoption. We cannot allow for unilateral decision-making to erode our sovereign, inherent and Treaty rights and traditional territories. It would be in the best interests of both governments to cease this arbitrary process.”
The Anishinabek Nation remains committed to upholding the rights and interests of its member First Nations across Ontario.
“We sent letters to the federal government on Tuesday voicing our opposition to the agreement,” Grand Council Chief Niganobe told The Expositor. He said the government is looking to have the Metis Nation self-government agreement passed within the next two weeks.
