Métis Nation-Saskatchewan cuts ties with Métis National Council

In what could be a tectonic shift in the world of Métis politics, the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S) has withdrawn from the Métis National Council (MNC), following the lead of the Manitoba Métis Federation in 2021.

MN-S officials, representing Métis citizens in the province, unanimously passed a resolution to break from the 41-year-old national organization during a meeting of the provincial Métis council on Thursday morning.

The withdrawal was prompted by concerns that some Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) citizens aren't Métis, and a mood among MN-S citizens that MNC is irrelevant, MN-S Vice-President Michelle LeClair told CBC Indigenous following the vote.

"We are a strong, proud nation in Saskatchewan. We have a verifiable citizenship registry, and we cannot stand by any longer and allow this to continue," said LeClair, referring to the identity controversy surrounding MNO.

MN-S President Glen McCallum said in a news release, "This was not a decision our government made lightly but one we felt necessary."

The Métis Nation emerged as a distinct people born of the intermingling of First Nations and European cultures in the historic northwest in the 18th and 19th centuries. The existence of Métis communities in eastern Canada is a deeply contentious question.

At issue are six communities that MNO and the Ontario government recognized as "historic" in 2017. The federal government proposed to recognize MNO, MN-S and the Métis Nation of Alberta as Indigenous governments last year in Bill C-53.

But First Nations leaders in Ontario deny the legitimacy of MNO's communities and accuse the group of identity theft. They mounted a pressure campaign against Bill C-53. The chiefs are allied with the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF), which also cited the identity dispute when cutting ties.

The MN-S resolution adopted Thursday says its continued association with MNO "no longer benefits the Métis Nation within Saskatchewan or the Métis Nation as a whole," and resolves to fully withdraw MN-S's share of finances and assets from the council.

Some might think it's a bold move, "but really it's not," LeClair said.

"It's something that our citizens have been talking about for a long time."

MN-S heard Ontario chiefs' concerns loud and clear, she added.

An MNC spokesperson said via statement that the Métis Nation has the right to self-determination, and with that so does each Métis government.

"While the MNC was created to bring together the Métis Nation to work together in unity to achieve greater opportunity for Métis citizens, we respect the decision of the MN-S," the statement said.

In a statement calling the move disappointing, MNO defended the transparency and integrity of its citizenship registry. The MN-S assertion that MNO continues to represent significant numbers of non-Métis is "categorically false," said MNO.

"Regardless of the MN-S's perplexing decision today, MNO continues to govern our citizens and communities. There is no question that there is a loss when we do not stand as a nation, but we remain committed to working with our sister Métis governments to advance Metis rights and the collective interests of the communities we represent."

Annual general assembly postponed

The latest withdrawal raises questions about the future of MNC, a political organization formed to represent Métis rights and interests during constitutional talks in March 1983.

LeClair wouldn't speculate on if a new national organization might form or if there exists a path on which MN-S might return to MNC. 

MNC bylaws say board meetings "shall include the president and two of the founding members," referring to either MMF, MN-S or Métis Nation of Alberta. 

MMF President David Chartrand said the loss of two founders means MNC is technically unable to hold meetings and therefore "defunct." When asked if that then spells doom for MNC, Chartrand said he feels the council doomed itself years ago by not promptly addressing the concerns around MNO.

"It was doomed to failure, for sure, with Ontario continuing to be inside the house with non-Métis people by the thousands," he said.

Meanwhile, Bill C-53 is now in limbo after MN-S rescinded its support earlier this year. At a previous meeting of the provincial council in June, MN-S leaders passed a resolution vowing to resign from MNC if a resolution removing MNO from the national council wasn't adopted at MNC's annual general assembly.

That assembly was postponed until November because an expert panel investigating the Ontario communities has not finished its final report, said MNC President Cassidy Caron in this month's MNC newsletter.

Caron previously announced she is not seeking re-election, and the vote for the new president was supposed to happen at the annual general assembly. 

In her message, Caron said MNC's board of directors can exercise discretionary powers to appoint an existing MNC employee to ensure the MNC's operations will not be impeded in the leadup to the election.

The MNC statement said Caron will be meeting with MNC's governing members to discuss next steps and will share more information as it arises.