Metis consultation policy still in the works

Bill Loutitt says his hair is growing long as he waits for the province to work through a consultation policy with the Metis.

“It’s been two years now. I made a vow not to cut my hair until we see this consultation policy so it’s starting to get fairly long,” said Loutitt, who serves as vice-president of the McMurray Metis.

In January 2013, the Conservative government announced that it would begin working with the Metis Nation of Alberta and the Metis Settlement General Council to establish a consultation policy for industrial development. The process, said then-Aboriginal relations minister Robin Campbell, would be similar as to the process used with First Nations. He said the need for a policy had been driven by both industry and the Metis.

“We’ve had some preliminary meetings on Metis consultation policy. But we’re still waiting to see it. The NDP government says they’re working on it,” said Loutitt.

Talks are ongoing, he says, and have included MNA president Audrey Poitras.

“She’s pulled us together, we’ve got a lawyer working on this. It’s just a matter of developing this in consultation with the rest of the communities,” said Loutitt.

There are eight Metis settlements in Alberta.

While the Metis consultation policy did not come up for discussion when environment minister Shannon Phillips met with Metis and First Nations representatives from the Fort McMurray area last week, Loutitt says Phillips is aware of the work that is ongoing. He adds that work is primarily with the Aboriginal consultation office.

The ACO was established by the Conservative government as a one-stop window for streamlined approvals for industry development on First Nations.

The MNA has had its own guidelines in place since 2009 in a policy entitled “The duty to consult and accommodate Metis Aboriginal rights and interests in Alberta.” That 10-page policy calls for consultation and accommodation to be meaningful. It also states, “The duty to consult is triggered whenever the Crown makes public its intention to embark upon a course of action or to take a decision that could potentially affect the rights and interests of the Métis Nation or any portion thereof. This includes a wide range of actions relating to the Crown’s authority over land use and economic development initiatives.”

The MNA’s policy also calls for the Crown to provide funding for the process.

First Nations have not been supportive of the consultation policy implemented by the PC government for development on First Nations’ land.