We're here too: Metis Nation

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The federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development got a language lesson recently.

Robert Nault was in Calgary on Feb. 28, to release his Aboriginal Progress Report.

The Metis Nation of Alberta was there, too, hoping to make a point about its inclusion.

After all, by using the word Aboriginal in his report, Nault implied that the Metis and the Inuit were affected by it.

They weren't.

"It was mainly First Nations-focused," said the vice president of Zone 1.

"(Nault) only mentioned Metis once."

Rick Boucher arrived at the conference wearing his Metis sash and was accompanied by 11 other members of his association, including provincial president Audrey Poitras.

"She felt we should go and make a stand there," Boucher said. "Make government officials aware that we are around. Let them know we exist and we're not going to allow them to ignore us any longer."

To highlight his group's presence there, Boucher even took the mike to ask a question of the minister.

Despite the conference's lack of direct relevance to his people, it helped Boucher understand how to approach Ottawa in the future, he said.

"It was very interesting because it gave me a better perspective of what the federal government is doing in working with the (First Nations) people."