President’s Corner – February 21, 2025

Feb 21, 2025

This past week, the Supreme Court of Canada heard the case of Roger Bilodeau, convicted in the senseless killings of Maurice Cardinal and Jacob Sansom. The judges came back quickly with a unanimous decision to deny the appeal. It was a difficult day, but an important one.

These two men were Métis. They were hunters, they were family men, they were loved. And in March 2020, they were taken from their families in an act of cold-blooded violence on the side of a rural Alberta road. Their deaths shook our community, not just because of the unimaginable grief their families have had to live with, but because of what it says about the safety and value of Métis lives in this country.

Wednesday’s Supreme Court decision marks a significant moment in upholding justice for Métis families and their right to safety and dignity. Too often, Indigenous families in Canada are left to fight these battles alone. When violence happens to Indigenous people, the national outcry is quiet, the media coverage fades, and the justice system takes far too long to respond – if it does at all.

We have seen it before. The names of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and of so many others who never make the headlines. The systemic racism that runs through law enforcement, through the courts, through the very institutions that are meant to protect us, continues to allow these tragedies to happen.

I refuse to accept that. And I know you do too.

Although Bilodeau’s appeal was denied, we cannot allow Maurice and Jacob’s names to be added to a long list of Indigenous victims whose cases are quietly forgotten by the broader public. Their families have fought too hard, and their lives mattered too much. Justice does not stop at a conviction, it means changing the system that allows violence against Indigenous people to continue. It means refusing to look away.

That is why the Otipemisiwak Métis Government is building a Justice Department that truly serves our people. One that understands our history, our realities, and our rights. We are creating a system that provides culturally grounded legal support, advocacy, and resources to Métis Citizens who have been failed by colonial institutions. Our government is working to ensure that our Citizens can reclaim their role in justice for our people, on our terms.

I want every Métis Citizen to know: your government will continue to push Canada to recognize and confront the violence that Métis people face. And we will always stand with the families of Maurice and Jacob.

I ask that we all continue to support the Sansom and Cardinal families. They deserve our respect, our compassion, and our commitment to seeing this through.

NT5