Sit-in prompts MAA decision

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The decision to move the location of the Metis Association of Alberta assembly to Edmonton from the originally planned Slave Lake site, was prompted by a quiet sit-in by dissatisfied southern Alberta Metis on February 11.

A group of Metis from Calgary along with Edmonton supporters, held a sit in at the MAA offices to protest the proposed location site of the upcoming MAA assembly slated for March 14 and 15.

The location of the MAA assembly has been changed, "for economic and communications reasons" confirmed Ron LaRoque, although the exact Edmonton location has not yet been decided.

This decision does not change the meeting date, the assembly will still be held on March 14 and 15.

" I feel that pressure from the membership certainly had some impact on the decision to move the assembly to Edmonton," said Aurele Dumont, vice-president of

MAA zone 3.

The southern MAA membership felt that holding the assembly in Slave Lake would restrict their participation to give their input and ratification to the MAA constitutional positions, said Dumont. It would have been hard on MAA members from Red Deer, Calgary and Lethbridge and southern Alberta to travel north and find a place

to stay at Slave Lake, explained Dumont.

There were no demonstrations, placard or a written statement given to the MAA by the protestors, confirmed Dumont.

"There was no demonstration, I did see some people (from the south) here, but nothing happened," said Sam Sinclair, president of the MAA.

The MAA assembly will discuss Metis National Council (MNC) positions on entrenching the right to self-government and a land base for Aboriginal people, into the Canadian constitution, said Dumont.

The Metis National Council is the national Metis organization that the MAA is

part of. The MNC will have direct participation at the First Ministers' Conference on Aboriginal rights in March.