Metis Constitution passes

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BATOCHE, SASK. - Allan Morin, provincial secretary for association for Metis and

Non-Status Indians of Saskatchewan (AMNSIS) introduced a new draft resolution called "Constitution of the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan, Inc., which was passed at the annual assembly held here on July 24 and 25.

Morin disclosed the new draft resolution calling for termination of the non-profit association and to replace it with a parliamentary system more suitable towards the Metis aspiration of self-government and land rights.

The architect of the new Constitution of the Metis NMai8ton of Saskatchewan, Inc. is Wayne McKenzie, vice-president of AMNSIS and director of Constitutional Senior Officials Committee. Included in this committee are consultants, legal counsel, chiefs of staff - member and national offices.

This committee is responsible to draft new Constitutional strategies, provide necessary documentation, carry out research, provide legal advice, and formulate new innovative policies.

To accompany the new Metis Nation Constitution of Saskatchewan, Morin also introduced a working paper, entitled, Comments and Proposals, Regarding a Portfolio System, to be incorporated in conjunction with the new Metis Nation Constitution. The two working papers complement each other and both papers were passed by the delegates.

Introducing the working papers, Morin stressed the need of the Metis organization to shift from a non-profit association presently governing AMNSIS to a provincial constituency-legislature format.

He warned the delegates of the amount of work involved with the new Metis Nation Constitution of Saskatchewan and emphasized that the involvement of the local members is necessary if "we are to ratify the new drafts," said Morin.

"You have a year to discuss the discussions papers, you must study the new Constitution, the proposed legislature assembly, the portfolio system, and throughout the year, the negotiating team will bring into line the operating systems of both party and government structures to govern the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan," explained Morin.

Dona Desmarais, executive director of AMNSIS, reiterated the hope that "a revised Constitution and Portfolio System will do is in fact phase in an orderly process

for moving from a non-profit organization to an infrastructure which will accommodate our move to self-government."

Jim Sinclair, president of AMNSIS, encourages that the working mechanisms described in both discussion papers be worked out closely with the Metis membership

to demonstrate that a "bottom up approach" is carried out, a prerequisite conditioned by governments.

Sinclair told the delegates it was time for "puppet government" to abandon the non-profit association Constitution and By-laws and initiative constitutionalized govern-ment infrastructures recognized by both governments.

Wayne McKenzie, vice-president of AMNSIS, insisted that the new Metis Nation Constitution of Saskatchewan and its portfolio system is the only infrastructure that will guarantee some degree of self-government among the Metis people of Saskatchewan.

McKenzie, known not to mince words, told the assembly that it better be prepared to deal with hardcore realities surrounding the Metis push towards self-government and land rights and not "to be taken in by the abstract goodwill of the federal and provincial governments."

This new Metis Nation Constitution and portfolio system is to give local members other invested powers by its new governing structure to make decisions, to practice their constitutional rights and to pave the way towards self-government, explained McKenzie.

The two drafts calls for the phasing out the present system governing AMNSIS by 1988 and in its place will be the legislature structure encompassing the existing government structures, including municipal local governments.

"These new systems to be modified by the Self-Government Negotiating team appointed by the AMNSIS Board will re-inforce te movement towards self-government. This team will be empowered with authority to sell the constitutional package, to completely explain the roles and functions of each intricate ate part of the proposed legislature, to develop a comprehensive strategy to accommodate the definitions of

self-government, to design line-systems to facilitate the self-government aspirations of the Saskatchewan Metis," said Morin.

Further explanation to WINDSPEAKER, Morin and McKenzie, are both optimistic because of the favouravble optimums surrounding the political struggles of the Metis people in Canada. Yet both are also skeptical in achieving the objectives as laid in the foundational principles outlined in the new Constitution.

"We have a year before the Metis members ratify the modified articles of the New Metis Constitution. By 1987, the New Metis Constitution and its portfolio system should be fully defined and developed to be implemented by the 1988 elections," said McKenzie.

This transitional phase should give the local Metis members the initiative to launch innovative new levels of local government empowered with jurisdiction and authority as guaranteed to municipalities and to be administratively autonomous and to have their separate funding sources to fund their programs services, concluded McKenzie.