Metis move towards self-determination

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A unique piece of history was ushered in on Nov. 15, as the Metis Settlements General Council and the government of Alberta signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to mark the tenth anniversary of Metis Settlements legislation being passed into law. The MOU cements the partnership between Alberta and the general council, which sets policy and oversees the affairs of all eight settlement councils. It also sets up a process to review governance and finances of the settlements up to and beyond 2007.

Specifically, the MOU states the parties will develop proposals to cover financial arrangements between the province and general council; a system so settlements? laws can be amended and approved; to cover a general council economic viability study.

The MOU also requires the parties to develop proposals covering the costs and requirements of surveying, building and developing infrastructure and running the general council; and finally, to deal with handing over the responsibilities of the province's Metis Settlements Transition Commission when that body is dissolved. The commissiion was set up 10 years ago to help the settlements establish their own governments and get the ball rolling towards self-sufficiency.

Randy Parenteau, president of the general council signed for the Metis, accompanied by settlement leaders. Premier Ralph Klein, Associate Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Pearl Calahasen, and Denis Ducharme represented the Alberta government.

The Metis see the signing as one more step to gaining autonomy over their own affairs.

"Learning from our past and building on our successes," said Parenteau, " we sign this memorandum of understanding today, to reaffirm our partnership with the Alberta government as we move forward with the vision of our previous leaders - partnership, self-determination, self-government - and with that, our belief of what it will take to become self-governing communities - ?our land, our culture, our future." Parenteau concluded, "Today I would like to add one more - our people."

Ten years ago, on Nov. 1, 1990, the Alberta-Metis Settlements Accord was enacted, which set aside a 1.28 million acre land base for Metis Albertans. It created the only provincially sanctioned Metis land base and Metis government in Canada. It also designated funds to prepare and operate infrastructure for a transitional 17 years.

The accord between the province and the Alberta Federation of Metis Settlements Association also created four pieces of supporting legislation. These are the Metis Settlements Act, which formally established the settlements of Buffalo Lake, East Prairie, Elizabeth, Fishing Lake, Gift Lake, Kikino, Paddle Prairie and Peavine as well as the general council; the Metis Settlements Land Protection Act; the Metis Settlements Accord Implementation Act that puts $10 million a year into Metis initiatives; and the Constitution of Alberta Amendment Act. In addition, the general council and Alberta have a funding agreement which is reviewed once a year and there is a co-management agreement regarding the development of sub-surface resources.