City recognizes heritage by raising Métis Nation flag

The Métis Nation flag is flying in front of Regina City Hall. The flag was raised one day before the 126 year commemoration of the hanging of Louis Riel in Regina.

“(The city) honoured Louis Riel and the Métis people by being the first major urban centre in Canada to fly the Métis flag alongside all the others,” said Robert Doucette, president of the Métis  Nation-Saskatchewan. “It was a great day.”

Deputy Mayor Michael Fougere said the city is flying the flag as a way of recognizing the contributions the  Métis people have made to that city, the province and to Canada.

“Our view is to simply honour and respect what they represent and the best way to do that is to fly a flag,” said Fougere.

Doucette said in the past four and a half years, the MNS has worked hard at rebuilding its relationship with not only the city but the province as well. MNS has also focused on educating non-Aboriginals about who the Métis people are.

“It’s been our mission to rebuild that understanding,” he said, “and I think it’s bearing fruit.”

Doucette not only points to the leadership of Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco, but also the leadership of Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall. Doucette said Wall was the first provincial leader to declare 2010 as the Year of the Métis and to put the Métis sash in the Legislature.

“For me, the future is looking good for the Métis people. We have a lot of issues, things aren’t perfect. But I think if there’s one thing you can count on with all the symbolic ceremonies is the actual respect for the Métis people. We’re all trying to work together in the same direction and that’s a good thing,” said Doucette.

The Métis Nation flag was raised one month after the Treaty 4 flag began flying in front of city hall.

Fougere said he would not push any other city to do what Regina has done nor speculate why no other city has raised Aboriginal flags. Regina approved a report in May 2011 to fly the Métis Nation and Treaty 4 flags.

“We feel this is the best expression of who we are as a community,” said Fougere. “We as a council and as an administration, we believe we have a very strong and healthy relationship with First Nation and Métis people and we want to continue that and the best way to do that is to fly their flags.”

The latest Statistics Canada report indicates that by 2031, nearly one-quarter of Saskatchewan’s population will be Aboriginal and that the cities of Regina and Saskatoon, along with Winnipeg and Thunder Bay, will have

Aboriginal populations between 12 and 15 per cent. Currently Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal population represents 16 per cent of the people in that province.