Controversial bill that would recognize Métis governments 'not moving forward,' feds say

A bill that would recognize Métis political associations in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario as Indigenous governments is essentially quashed, according to Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Gary Anandasangaree. 

"At this point in the journey of C-53, I would reluctantly say that it is a bill that may be hard to continue in its current form," Anandasangaree told the Indigenous and Northern Affairs standing committee on Tuesday. 

"There was a court decision relating to the Métis Nation of Alberta and there was also a decision by the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan to pull out of that process … and as a result, [Bill] C-53 will not be moving forward." 

The bill was never supported by the Manitoba Métis Federation, and just last year the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan withdrew their support of the bill. 

As for the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of the Métis Nation within Alberta (MNA), they signed a self-government agreement in Feb. 2023, but did not withdraw their support of Bill C-53. 

In a statement to CBC Indigenous, the minister's office confirmed that the MNA did not withdraw their support, but in March 2024 "the federal court rendered their decision with regard to the self-government agreement with MNA, and struck down certain provisions," said Jennifer Cooper, spokesperson for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. 

"We have since been working with MNA to address the impacts of the court decision and to make the necessary amendments to the self-government agreement." 

The government further reiterated that "Bill C-53 is not moving forward and cannot continue its current form," said Cooper. But they didn't say what the new form of the bill could look like. 

Of the three Métis organizations who were originally behind Bill C-53, the most dedicated to it was the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO), which called the decision disappointing.

"It was the first Métis piece of federal recognition legislation," said MNO president Margaret Froh.  

"We have a legally binding self-government agreement with Canada, though, that ensures that if the federal recognition legislation that Canada introduces fails, that another bill will be introduced later on, and it will be when the time is right."

Froh says the MNO is currently developing their constitution, and are on the path to developing a modern treaty similar to what the Manitoba Métis Federation just signed. 

Contentious bill 

Since it was first introduced in 2021 the bill has faced opposition from First Nations in Ontario, and other Métis organizations, including the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF).

"It caught us off guard when it came so quickly into the parliament," said MMF president David Chartrand.  

At issue for the MMF is the recognition this bill would grant the MNO, who they accuse of watering down Métis national identity.

They also accuse the MNO of erroneously recognizing six new historic Métis communities, some as far east as the Ontario-Quebec border. 

"These are a bunch of new people, new communities, and new definitions, and Ontario has been clever enough to disguise themselves as being us, but not us," said Chartrand. 

"They falsified their identity and claimed to be us, but they used a different definition to define themselves, not the national definition we had." 

The MNO say federal recognition of those historic Métis communities is what got them to where they are today. 

"It is the inherent rights of self-determination and self-government of those communities that is the foundation for our self-government agreement and will be the foundation of our modern self-government treaty with Canada," said Froh.

Issues with the MNO have boiled over in Ontario with First Nations, who say that the newly recognized historic Métis communities infringe on their treaty rights. 

In a statement to CBC Indigenous, the Wabun Tribal Council (WTC), which represents several First Nations in Ontario, says it applauds the end of the bill. 

"We know it was an error in judgment, and in assessment, that Canada and Métis Nation of Ontario had any right to impose a treaty on our lands," said Jason Batise, executive director for WTC. 

"Canada and Ontario must continue to follow through to investigate the legitimacy of so-called Indigenous groups that wrongly assert over Treaty 9 and other First Nations territories." 

The federal government said in a statement it is working to "recognize and affirm the rights of all Indigenous people in Canada with mutual respect, cooperation, and full partnership," according to Jennifer Cooper, spokesperson for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. 

"Bill C-53 is about self-government and self-determination, focusing on core governance matters to each Métis Government. It does not address harvesting or land-related matters or rights."