“What good is MNC?”

On the Métis News and Stuff Blog Site (http://derrylsanderson.blogspot.com/) a question keeps coming up – “What good is MNC?”

I am going to make an attempt at answering that without sounding like I am running a political campaign –

The Métis National Council in truth is a corporate entity much like all its’ provincial counterparts that sum up to make the whole. I wish that we were in a better political presence to have fought to be the respected representative body without being a part of the Corporate Acts of Canada but that is going to take more political will then we have today. Government requires incorporations so that when legal contracts that involve contribution agreements are signed they have an actual legal entity to enter into an agreement with. So firstly, I believe the Métis National Council needs to stop being an elitist club and they need to become the democracy that they profess to honour. True traditional democracy – where the people are the power.

When you look at the history of the real first Métis Council – it was Louis Riel with his Provisional Government. He would have community meetings and seek the support of the community to move forward with the mandate that was given to him. There are records that talk about meetings of a 1,000 (10%) of the population that was considered Manitoba at the time. Issues were presented, debated and moved forward on. It was not a select group who controlled the will of the people without seeking their support. In today’s MNC response at an Annual General Meeting like the one on February 23 and 24th, 2008 we have 55 people of 390,000 setting the mandate and priorities for the Métis people from across Canada. I believe that works out to like 0.014% of the Métis population in Canada.

My response of do we need a Métis National Council or entity to represent Métis people from across Canada – just one word YES! I am a nationalist – much like my forefathers that went before me. The role of the Métis National Council is to work with the existing Government of Canada – much like Louis Riel did – to further the agenda of Métis people from across the homeland. Our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren deserve to have their place honoured as one of the Indigenous groups of Canada. Our children do not want to have to go to court to fight for what was inherent to them.

Issues that relate to adequate housing, education, health services and healthy families should be a given – but it is not. Access to the same programming that is available for other Aboriginal people in Canada should be automatic not challenged between political authorities like it is now – Are we Federal or Provincial jurisdiction? Issues of how are Veterans were dishonoured and not acknowledged should be addressed. Issues related to our Métis people who were victims of residential schools should not be forgotten. The role of the Métis National Council is to work with the Government of Canada to ensure that Métis people are no longer the forgotten people.

I know that everyone likes to focus on the right to hunt but frankly that is only the existing recognition of one inalienable right. That is probably one of the greatest reasons that I work to overcome the issues that internally plague us – we are bigger then the bullies that have run us. We are Métis and many before David tried to take us down but our passion, our pride and our rich heritage has taught us to stand and fight for what is right. We need a strong National representative body that will reflect the views of many of our young Métis people who deserve an honourable place in the mosaic of Canada just as our forefathers had.

I am requesting that the next leader of the Métis National Council brings forward a National Constitution that respects and treats all Métis from across the homeland with respect and dignity. Let the Constitution outline the jurisdictions and role of each of the counterparts and lets conduct elections that have every Métis person from across the homeland eligible to vote. Ensure the honest and integrity of our governing bodies by using democracy and consensus to build a strong nation. I know this is a big challenge – but that is what we need in today’s leader so that we can quit repeating the errors of the past.