Awwhhh ... Now here is the cry from the bully ...

Following is a press release from the little bully who did not think that Metis Residential School survivors were important enough to bother even taking one when he had the chance....

And don't forget that had Mr. Clem Chartier and Mr. David Chartrand lost their attitude about being superior ... Phil Fontaine continued to encourage and support them to participate in the negotiations around compensation and reconciliation. It was David and Clem that refused to participate.

For those that don't know ... this has meant that many of the Metis residential school survivors have not received compensation. Some were not registered and recorded due to the issues that related with administration of the Residential Schools. The churches and organizations were compensated for First Nations students so they were tracked. Metis students were not applied for so they were often treated like the servants of the facilities and not registered.

There are some survivors who are even in the old pictures of the school but not in the registries. Some were identified as day students. Not that the day students did not get the same beatings, sexual violations and emotional and cultural abuse ... but once again because there was no voice for them throughout the discussions ... there is not acknowledgement of their abuse.

The other piece that I would tell you is that at least David sees compensation in a different light. He would like the Metis Residential School Survivors to consider having the money they would receive placed into a Manitoba Metis Federation account for the collective use of the President. Who knows maybe our Metis survivors would not mind one more act of abuse being perpetrated on them - financial abuse?


The press release is as follows:

MNC Disappointed with Métis Survivors Exclusion from Vatican Apology

http://mmf.mb.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=591&Itemid=2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2009

Métis National Council Vice-president David Chartrand is welcoming the expression of regret from Pope Benedict XVI for abuses suffered by First Nation survivors of Catholic-run residential schools, but says he’s disappointed Métis and Inuit survivors were not included.

“I hope First Nations survivors can find some healing from this genuine statement of sorrow from Pope Benedict XVI,” says Chartrand. “A similar gesture of reconciliation would be of great comfort for the many Métis survivors who suffered in Catholic-run residential schools.”

Pope Benedict XVI made the statement of regret during a private audience with AFN National Chief Fontaine, First Nation elders and survivors. Vice-president Chartrand was invited by Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine to represent the Métis Nation during the visit to the Vatican, but was not part of the private audience.

Vice-president Chartrand, along with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) President Mary Simon, met with Archbishop the Most Reverend James Weisgerber, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, to voice their concerns over the exclusion of Métis and Inuit survivor from the Pope’s statement. Archbishop Weisgerber has offered to press the Vatican for private audiences for Métis survivors and another for Inuit.

“I am heartened by the support from Archbishop Weisgerber,” says Chartrand. “I believe he has a sincere desire to help heal the pain residential schools caused for Métis survivors and the entire Métis Nation.”
Vice-president Chartrand says the MNC will continue to work with Archbishop Wesigerber and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops towards reconciliation. To that end, Chartrand and ITK President Simon offered a joint invitation for Pope Benedict XVI to visit Métis and Inuit communities in Canada.

For more information contact Frank Coyle, MMF Communications at (204) 586-8474 ext. 374 or fcoyle@mmf.mb.caThis. e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , Greg Taylor, MNC Communications, at (613) 296-9263 or gregt@metisnation.ca..


The MNC represents the Métis Nation in Canada at the national and international level. The Métis Nation’s homeland includes the 3 Prairie Provinces and extends into Ontario, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the northern United States. There are approximately 350,000 – 400,000 Métis Nation citizens in Canada, roughly a quarter of all Aboriginal peoples in the country.