Metis pledged to join international forum

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Tony Belcourt, president of the Metis Nation of Ontario, has pledged to send one fully funded staff member to work with the United Nations. The pledge is equal to $100,000 per year going towards the United Nations permanent forum on Indigenous issues.

The permanent forum on Indigenous issues is unprecedented in the international community, according to Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. For the first time in history Native people will work as an official United Nations body with a mandate to discuss issues such as Indigenous social development, culture, education and protection of the planet's biodiversity. The forum then makes recommendations to the United Nations based on the discussions and mandates set out by the forum.

The amount of money set aside by the MNO has shocked Lorraine Gisborn, second vice-president of the Ontario Metis Aboriginal Association (OMAA), based in Sault Ste. Marie.

"This is the first I have heard of this. This is news to me . . . but that's an awful lot for just one staff member."

When Belcourt was asked how he could justify the cost of just one person at $100,000, he said that person's training would be invaluable, as he or she will bring knowledge back to the Metis community. In turn, the staff member will bring essential Native issues to a global audience through the United Nations.

Gisborn said if her organization had pledged $100,000 to the United Nations permanent forum on Indigenous issues, it might have gone under. But OMAA's main goal has been grassroots initiatives, usually dealing with health and wellness, as well as education, on a Canadian level, she explained.

Belcourt has said that the money to set up this position will in no way affect the Metis Nation of Ontario's programs or services. It has come from the Human Resources and Development money his group receives from the government of Canada.

"We must exercise our inherent right to self-determination by acting as responsible nations, and helping to pay for the forum ourselves. We consider the permanent forum a breakthrough to allow us to be properly heard by the world. We have pledged one fully funded staff person to help in the administration of meetings. The forum has had no money put forward for a secretariat. You need money to even start a meeting, research or even co-ordination of members."

Belcourt added, "Our goal is to amass enough financial support before July so the UN can approve a proper budget that will cover this. We are writing letters to every chief in Canada to help in the way of contributions towards funding the forum."

Kenneth Deer, editor and publisher of the Eastern Door in Kahnawake, is a steadfast proponent of the United Nations and Indigenous rights and a long time member of the Working Group on Indigenous Peoples. He said, " If we have the money to contribute to it, it embarrasses the richer governments like Canada and the United States. Politically it is a good move. If we can afford it."