PCMNO Meeting Recap Report: June 11-13, 2024

by ahnationtalk on July 23, 202410 Views

July 23, 2024

June 11th, 2024 – Orientation Meeting and Swearing In

On June 11, 2024, the Provisional Council of the Métis Nation of Ontario (PCMNO) held a hybrid meeting. Elected MNO leadership and select staff convened in Toronto and remotely over Zoom. The orientation sessions covered the MNO’s political history, governance, and legal collaboration, ensuring council members are well-prepared to serve our Métis communities effectively. The meeting also included the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected Provisional Council of the Métis Nation of Ontario (PCMNO), and the appointment of the first Provincial Secretaries, who received their mandate letters and were assigned key roles to enhance governance programs, services, and advocacy. Associate Secretaries and PCMNO Liaisons were also appointed, each responsible for specific portfolios and were empowered to collaborate with provincial and federal ministers.

President’s Update

President Froh

The swearing-in ceremony of our newly elected PCMNO and appointed Provincial Secretaries marked a historic moment. This event reflected the commitment to unity, self-determination, and the Métis spirit. President Froh noted in her remarks that it was a great privilege to participate in this historic moment and be part of this government. President Froh also shared that she is honoured to have the confidence of MNO citizens to continue to serve in her role as President. Ensuring our Métis government is equipped to support our citizens is critical. She noted that the past is full of provincial and federal governments trying to tell us the answers to our challenges, but the truth has always been that our Métis people hold the answers.

PCMNO Swearing-in

The ceremony underscored the importance of ensuring the Métis government is equipped to support its citizens, amplifying our voices and enhancing governance capacity. The first Provincial Secretaries, Associate Secretaries, and PCMNO Liaisons were appointed, each responsible for specific portfolios and empowered to collaborate with provincial and federal ministers.

PCMNO Liaisons appointments:

PCMNO Executive Senator Rene Gravelle as PCMNO Liaison for Senators.
PCMNO Youth Evan Accettola as PCMNO Liaison for the MNOYC
Kate Stewart McNeil (Region 8) as PCMNO Liaison for the MNOWC and the Two Spirit LGBTQ+ Working Group

Provincial Secretary and Associate Secretary appointments:

PCMNO Vice Chair, Sharon Cadeau as Provincial Secretary for Housing and Infrastructure.
Greg Garratt (Region 7) as Associate Secretary for Housing and Infrastructure.
Regional Councillors Mitch Case (Region 4) and Theresa Stenlund (Region 1) as co-Provincial Secretary for Métis Rights, Inter-Governmental Relations, and Communications.
Jacques Picotte (Region 3) as Provincial Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Emergency Preparedness.
Tim Sinclair (Region 2) as Associate Secretary for Environment Climate Change, and Emergency Preparedness.
Hank Rowlinson, PCMNO Chair as Provincial Secretary for Health, Wellbeing, and Seniors.
Andy Dufrane (Region 6) as Associate Secretary for Health, Wellbeing, and Seniors.
Joanne Young, PCMNO Secretary-Treasurer as Provincial Secretary for Finance and Records.
Kathleen Anderson (Region 9) as Associate Secretary for Finance and Records.
President Margaret Froh will be taking on the role of Provincial Secretary for Justice.

With the background, expertise and commitment of all our Provincial Secretaries, we are confident that the MNO government will be better able to serve and advocate for our citizens.

June 12th, 2024, Regular Meeting

On June 12, 2024, the Provisional Council of the Métis Nation of Ontario (PCMNO) brought

Elected MNO leadership and select staff together in Toronto and over Zoom to discuss the MNO’s strategic priorities on Métis rights and self-government. Key priorities include negotiating a Self-Government Treaty with Canada, establishing regional self-government structures, developing a Constitution for ratification by 2025-2026, and advancing Métis rights and claims through updated agreements and consultations. Efforts will focus on education, implementing the “Revitalizing Our Stories” resolution from the 2023 AGA, and conducting historical research.

President’s Update: Strategic Priorities on Métis Rights and Self-Government

President Froh highlighted the MNO’s strategic priorities on Métis rights and self-government at the meeting. These followed an important resolution passed by the 2023 AGA and were also informed by the rights and self-government-related work undertaken by the MNO to date, as well as the mandate letters of the PCMNO and Provincial Secretaries. President Froh also shared next steps and strategic priorities including:

Self-Government Treaty: We are negotiating with Canada to finalize a Self-Government Treaty, along with agreements on financing, taxes, and implementation plans.
Regional Self-Government: We are setting up regional self-government structures for Métis communities, which include creating local and regional economic development projects.
Consultations with Regions 6, 8, and 9: We are engaging with these regions to develop a self-government model that includes economic development opportunities for Métis citizens living outside traditional territories.
MNO Constitution: We are developing principles for a new MNO Constitution to be discussed at the 2024 Annual General Assembly. This will be followed by consultations throughout 2024 and 2025.
Adoption of Constitution: Based on these consultations, we aim to develop and adopt a new Constitution, which will be ratified by Métis citizens and communities by 2025 or 2026.

Advancing Métis rights and claims:

Updating the MNO-Ontario Harvesting Agreement map to align with regional self-government structures for the seven rights-bearing Métis communities the MNO represents.
Ensuring the honourable implementation of the Crown’s duty to consult and accommodate owing to rights-bearing Métis communities in Ontario, by:
- Working collaboratively to update the MNO’s Land, Resources and Consultation Branch to ensure alignment with the MNO’s Métis rights and self-government related work;
- Updating the MNO-Canada Consultation Agreement to be consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, including seeking updated and enhanced consultation funding; and
- Ensuring any benefits from Métis consultation or accommodation go to legitimate Métis rights-holders and those directly impacted at the Métis community level; and
Working with Canada to ensure a Métis claims related process, including securing research funding for Métis claims as well as the establishment of a Métis claims unit within the MNO.

Under the priority of advancing education and awareness of Métis communities in Ontario:

Moving forward on the implementation of the “Revitalizing Our Stories, Histories, Alliances and Relationships” resolution adopted by the 2023 MNO Annual General Assembly;
Establishing the Powley Institute as the MNO’s education arm to research, support and publish the histories of Métis communities in Ontario;
Moving forward on commissioning additional historic research on Métis communities in Ontario to supplement existing reports;
Undertaking immediate outreach to First Nations in areas where the MNO does not claim that Métis land-related rights exist to attempt to build relationships based on being guests in another Indigenous peoples’ traditional territory

Looking Ahead: Future AGA Locations

We are pleased to announce that PCMNO has approved the venues for the 2025 and 2026 Annual General Assemblies (AGA), and the 2025 AGA will take place in Roberta Bondar Pavilion in Sault Ste. Marie. The 2026 AGA will take place in Fort Williams Historic Park in Thunder Bay. This year’s AGA will take place from August 15-18 in Penetanguishene. We look forward to seeing you all there!

June 13th, 2024, Regular Meeting

On June 13, 2024, the Provisional Council of the Métis Nation of Ontario (PCMNO) held a hybrid meeting via Zoom, attended by elected MNO leadership and select staff. Key updates included the status of the Moon River ComPresident’s Update at All Citizens Town Hall

On June 25, 2024, President Margaret Froh addressed the All-Citizens Town Hall. She emphasized the uncertain status of Bill C-53 and ongoing advocacy for Métis self-government. She also updated citizens on initiatives, including housing projects, childcare programs, and cultural events, highlighting strategic priorities for advancing Métis rights and self-government. President Froh reassured citizens of their government’s continued commitment to self-governance and stressed the importance of community support and participation. She urged citizens to stay informed, get involved, and share the MNO’s efforts within their communities to strengthen their collective voice on our journey to self-determination and self-government.

Bill C-53

The future of Bill C-53, our self-government legislation, remains uncertain. However, our dedication to self-government and reconciliation with Canada is unwavering. Bill C-53 was introduced on June 21, 2023, with unanimous support from all parties and passed first and second readings before moving to committee. Despite over 200 meetings with parliamentarians, the bill faced significant delays and opposition from some First Nations leaders, leading to misinformation and divisive comments.
In May, the Manitoba Métis Federation and Chiefs of Ontario hosted an Indigenous Identity Fraud Summit, attacking the credibility of the MNO. In response, we launched an education campaign to highlight the rich history of the Métis in Ontario. Please visit OntarioMétisFacts.com and share the content within your networks.
Regardless of Bill C-53’s outcome, our self-government agreement with Canada remains legally binding, and negotiations for our Treaty continue. We will return to Parliament Hill to push for enabling legislation. Remember, the Supreme Court’s decision in R. v. Powley and our Harvesting Agreement with Ontario remain intact. Our Section 35 rights are secure.

Community Council Updates:

The PCMNO has suspended the Moon River Community Council Charter due to serious allegations against an individual related to that Council’s business. Despite MNO’s Community Relations staff exhausting the tools available to them to support the council in resolving the internal disputes, the issue has remained unresolved. As a result, the PCMNO has directed the MNO administration to identify an investigator who will provide a report back to PCMNO with recommendations on the next steps, consistent with MNO governance and legal requirements.

Housing Services Update

Through the hard work of our dedicated staff, we have secured funding for housing program services and housing builds from the federal Urban, Rural, and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy. We will receive funds over the next seven years, which will be invested in significantly improving our housing initiatives.

In March 2024, our Housing Stabilization & Homelessness Supports Program signed a new amendment to the existing Federal Reaching Home agreement, securing an additional $3.51 million in funding until the end of the 2027-2028 fiscal year.

Our Midland affordable housing project is progressing well, and we’re proud to announce that we’ve hired Métis architect David T. Fortin, an MNO citizen, to design these units. This will ensure the project reflects our unique history and culture.

Our Kenora affordable housing project in Kenora is currently being re-zoned. We recently held a regional community engagement session to share the project’s intent and receive feedback.

Ontario Métis Root Ancestor Reports

The MNO website is undergoing some updates, which includes where Métis Root Ancestor reports will be housed. While this is underway, citizens or people applying for MNO citizenship can contact the MNO registry to obtain copies of these reports.

Financial Information

The MNO would like to remind all citizens that they cannot use their citizen card for a tax exemption on their purchases. First Nations, Inuit, or Métis people are all subject to the same tax rules as any other resident in Canada. Tax exemptions apply to income that is considered tax-exempt under section 87 of the Indian Act. That exemption applies to the income of a Status Indian that is earned on a reserve, or that is considered to be earned on a reserve, as well as to goods bought on or delivered to a reserve.

The 2016 Supreme Court of Canada decision in Daniels v. Canada, 2016 SCC 12 did not change who an “Indian” is in the Indian Act. The tax exemption available under the Indian Act only applies to an individual who is an “Indian” as defined in the Indian Act. The Daniels decision does not change the group of individuals currently eligible for the tax exemption.

Upcoming Events

This summer, there are exciting opportunities for our youth.

The Babysitter’s Club is launching a program for youth in Grades 7-9, focusing on child development, cultural activities, and online safety, with participants receiving a certificate of completion and a babysitter’s club kit.
The Annual Indigenous Education Council and Infinite Reach Training in Toronto
The Great Rendezvous at Fort William Historical Park
Annual Teacher’s Workshop featuring guest speaker Jessica Outram.
Summer Break Youth Cultural Camp at Awenda Provincial Park for students in grades 10-12, which promises an enriching mix of cultural and lifestyle activities.

These initiatives are part of the ongoing efforts and programs happening across the MNO at various levels of government and regional communities.

NT5