Ottawa pleads the rejection of a pursuit of alleged representatives of the Métis of the C.-B.

The Government of Canada affirms that a prosecution brought by an organization claiming. In addition, to represent the Métis of British Columbia should be rejected. Moreover, There is not enough evidence of the existence of mixed communities holding rights in the province. In addition, estimates Ottawa in documents deposited before the Supreme Court of the province.

In July 2024. Consequently, the Métis Federation of British Columbia (BCMF) continued the Federal because of its refusal to recognize it as a representative of the Métis people of the province.

The BCMF And three of its members claim to have ancestral ties with the First Nations of British Columbia. In addition, what they claim to be historic establishments in the province.

The Federation claims ottawa pleads rejection pursuit alleged to have 6. Meanwhile, 000 members which bring their genealogy back to a historic Métis community in British Columbia or a Métis community elsewhere in Canada. For example, These communities would be, she underlines, Métis du Nord-Ouest Pacific.

The prosecution indicates that the BCMF has received funding from federal organizations such as Oviation. Climate Change Canada, the Canadian Coast Guard, Natural Resources Canada and the Federal Interlocutor Contribution program with Métis and the Indians not registered.

The documents lists nine examples where a request for programs. financing presented by the BCMF has been refused because the organization did not hold the rights provided for in article 35 of ottawa pleads rejection pursuit alleged the 1982 constitutional law or because the Métis Nation of British Columbia (MNBC) is the service provision of services recognized for the provinces of the province.

Powley judgment criteria

A spokesperson for Couronne-Aombone. Affairs of Northern Canada said that the ministry could not comment on the case because it is in court.

Canada’s response to the pursuit. filed in court on May 16, indicates that the courts have not recognized a Métis community holding rights under article 35 in British Columbia, and that the BCMF represents people with and without mixing ancestry.

In 2003. the Powley decision of the Supreme Court of Canada established criteria for the recognition of the rights of Métis communities.

In court documents. Ottawa says the test ottawa pleads rejection pursuit alleged Powley stipulates that Métis means more than individuals with an indigenous and European mixed heritage, and refers to a distinctive people who, in addition to their mixed ancestry, has developed their own customs, their lifestyle and their recognizable group identity Distinct from its indigenous and European ancestors before the time of effective European control.

In his response. the federalt maintains that the courts have not recognized any Métis community holding rights in British Columbia, because The evidence of the existence of a historic Métis community in British Columbia at the time of the effective control of Europeans are insufficient. He acknowledges that there are people in the province belonging to historic mixed communities of other provinces.

Keith Henry, president of the BCMFdescribed the response ottawa pleads rejection pursuit alleged of the Attorney General of Canada as disappointing.

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In fact. I was quite surprised by the tone and the rather condescending views of the Attorney Generalsaid Henry.

The MNBC represents the Métis. says Ottawa

Ottawa claims that the MNBC is the representative organization of the Métis of British Columbia, who are members of historic Métis communities in other provinces.

This is partly due to the fact that Canada concluded the Canada-Nation Agreement in 2017. according to which the National Métis rallying (RNM) and its provincial leaders are the authorized representatives of the Métis Nation to the Federal Government.

MNBC left the RNM in November, but was part of it at the time of the agreement.

The BCMF believes that the government’s agreement with the MNBC is biased. Its members, argues the federation, cannot access the services of MNBC Because they are not part of the latter. In addition. the definition of Métis of the MNBC requires an ancestral link with the Métis of the Red River.

In its document. Canada affirms that it does not control the eligibility criteria of the MNBC and cannot therefore be held responsible if the members of the BCMF do not meet the required conditions or if they make the decision not to join the MNBC.

Mr. Henry said that if the only way to be recognized as Métis in British Columbia was through the MNBC. This would eliminate thousands of mestizers who freely choose not to want the MNBC represents them.

Colette Trudeau. director general of the MNBCsaid that the organization applauds the general prosecutor’s response to the prosecution because it maintains the national definition Métis created by the General Assembly of MRI In 2002 to define its citizenship criteria.

Those who seek to redefine who we are. to create another version of our history we all decrease ussaid Ms. Trudeau.

In a press release. the MNBC said that she did not prevent her citizens from registering with other organizations and that they would retain their membership in the MNBC If they wanted. Some of its members, she said, are also registered with the BCMF.

According to a report by Jackie McKay, of CBC Indigenous.