St. Rita Question

An Anonymous contributor asked me this question yesterday:

Hi Metis Mama:

I would like to ask you a question, What do you think of the tax dollars David spent on the St Rita sign?

Sorry for the delay in the response but I needed time to think about the response. I have some pretty strong views on the issues that relate to this matter.

Firstly, I would like to say that I do not believe that the non profit societies and corporate structures that exist today are what our fore-fathers seen as the representation of our people. They are a poor example for representing anyone other then a select few. They meet governments agenda not our agenda. I am a believer in looking at our fore fathers and the wisdom they had in developing solutions for today. Someone recently told me the organizations like MNC may die but the passion and heart of the Métis people are not dead! In fact, you do not have to read these blogs for long and you see the passion of our people. Our Nation is alive and well – we are in need of refocusing our leaders and cleaning out our closets.

Let me deal with the specifics around St. Rita as a community and the high handedness of what the MMF did. St. Rita is the authority of their destiny – much like our founding father Louis Riel – he worked with the community and moved forward on the will of the people. He did not fly in from some other community and tell them what was good for them. Louis Riel also tried to work with the community that was there not just the Métis but the entire community. He consulted with the Métis, the First Nations and the Europeans that were there. He moved forward to look to develop a community that was inclusive and respectful of everyone. He wrote about respecting all people and developing a nation made up of all of its’ parts. The truth is that the people sought out Louis Riel to be their leader. Not like David Chartrand who is seeking to be the leader. You can not walk into a community and put a sign up declaring yourself the government and that makes it so. Our inherent right ends where it violates the rights of others. If this was a ploy to win a land claim or to influence it – we could easily determine – it failed miserably.

The other issue that I would like to tell you is that I believe one of our greatest challenges is that most of our leaders have lost confidence in the very thing they say they represent. They do not believe in the people. To be a true leader you need to confide, talk and consult the people. There will be times when it is hard to hear what they have to tell you but the truth is you represent them – you go forward with their beliefs – not your own. The Métis people are the strength of our Nation. The true leaders are the individuals who don’t just tell government and industry to consult with the people but truly walk the talk and listen to the community.

I believe in the Métis people and when the leaders begin to believe in them instead of their magnificent egos – then we will be a nation who will show no limits in where we can go.