NORTHCOAST
METIS SOCIETY
PRESIDENT-Shelly Callihou-PH:627-5628-
email-scalihou@citytel.net
Meetings are held on the first sunday
of the month at 529-8th Ave.
Prince Rupert at 7:00 pm.
NORTHWEST
METIS ASSOCIATION
PRESIDENT-Kathleen Davies
PH:638-8039
Meetings are held on the third wednesday
of the month
at Northwest Community College at 7:00 pm
Terrace,BC.
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NORTHWEST
REGION METIS ASSOCIATION
Meeting time and
place to be announced.
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE,
Rene Therrien.
For any futher information
I can be contacted at 1- 250-638-0483.
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Message From Our President
MPCBC MEMORANDUM
From the office of MPCBC President, Harley Desjarlais
I am pleased to be confirmed as the newly elected President
of the Metis Provincial Council of British Columbia (MPCBC). The long often-difficult election
process is now complete and should result in our Nation presenting itself in a more constructive and
positive fashion. It is imperative that we as Metis people begin to evaluate ourselves and examine
remedies that will move our communities forward.
I would like to begin by congratulating all of the candidates who
had the courage to put their names forward so that they may lead their people. Their dedication
should be applauded. Much light was shed on the amount of presidential candidates who had presented
themselves. This was probably a testament to the amount of people dissatisfied with the past leadership,
so once again, thank you for participating.
It is very evident that there are very serious problems with our
Provincial Council. Basically, the organization is running at a deficit and our partners in the
Provincial and Federal governments need assurance that business will be done properly. Policies
and procedures will have to be incorporated into our business practices. I would hope that a deficit
recovery plan over the term of our Federal Agreements would allow us to address the deficit issue
without compromising the ability of (MPCBC) to operate properly. The MPCBC will also need to pursue
other programs and services which will allow us to generate revenue and service the needs of our people.
Programs and services are a very integral component of any organization.
Unless we have the capacity to administer them at local, regional and provincial levels, we may be setting
ourselves up for failure. This capacity has to happen in a uniform and consistent basis. One role of the
Office of the President is to deliver programs and services to the communities and to ensure proper systems
of administration are in place at all levels.
The need for the Metis people of British Columbia to pursue a rights based
agenda over the next several years will be crucial and paramount towards our goal of self-determination.
Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution recognizes the Metis as Aboriginal People on par with our First
Nations and Inuit brothers and sisters.
Yet we are not afforded the same rights as them. As we express
ourselves at appropriate levels this may ultimately result in the Metis people in the Province and country
accessing their inherent rights. Hunting and fishing, social services, justice, education and health are
but some sectors where the Metis people have yet to be accorded equal privileges. |
Our ability to generate revenue within an economic development framework
independently will also allow us opportunities that presently do not exist. There are many demands requested
by our people that do not fit within the terms of our present agreements. Many of these demands are legitimate
and we must create ways to address them. The communities should be supportive of these ventures.
As expressed in my platform, I would like to see many of these issues
resolved at regional levels through regional infrastructures. The Metis community in BC is very diverse
and the priorities and social climates are quite different from one region to the next. A system should
occur that would allow us to transfer the delivery of services to regional authorities. The system will
be created through consultation between MPCBC and the Regions.
One of the most troubling aspects that we will be confronted with over
the next several years is the issue of definition. In order for a nation to have credibility it must be
able to define itself. Presently there is no uniform definition, which has resulted in many organizations
allowing people who may be arguably Metis or not accepted by their communities. This will be an issue that
we are going to have to address. We are not a society, nor are we a club, but a proud nation of people. We
cannot unilaterally allow people to “become us” who are not. This was a very clear request that
was presented to me while traveling the province.
| Many of our people have gravitated toward their C-31 status as a means to
access services. These people have lived their whole lives as Metis people, but until recently have forgone
their Metis status. Because these people are our brothers and sisters, fathers, mothers, grandfathers and
grandmothers it would be presumptuous of me to simply say that they are not a part of our community. While
they cannot vote or hold office they should be welcomed into our communities. Many of our linkages to our
culture and heritage can be found through these people and we cannot ignore this.
Our heritage is something that we need to project and celebrate amongst
ourselves. It is important we incorporate this into our business by making it more positive. It is also
important that people in this province understand what the Metis people are and their role in Canadian
History.
Please bear with us while we begin the process of implementing change.
The board will all do our best to ensure that our people are well represented. We will try our best to
present a government that positively reflects on the Metis people in British Columbia. While the tasks
are many and the timetable short, I feel very confident in our ability to fulfill our short and long term
goals. Thank you all for the opportunity.
- Sincerely,
- Harley Desjarlais
- President
- Metis Provincial Council of BC
Articles represent the views of
the accredited author and do not necessarily reflect
the policy of the Metis Free Press
Editor/Publisher/Printer
EILEEN PUGE |
