Social Problem Resolved?
Since the early turn of the 20th Century, the rights and statuses of the Métis population has changed significantly.
In 1985, the Aboriginal and Treaty rights were confirmed in section 35 of the Constitution Act. The Métis were recognised explicitly as a separate Native population, apart from others:
35 (1) The existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed.
(2) in this Act, the aboriginal peoples of Canada includes the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada. [18]
To further represent themselves, there was a growing need for a separate organisation to represent the Métis population at the National Level. As a result, in March 1983, the Métis split from the Native Council of Canada to form the Métis National Council. They appear in both national and international meetings to voice the desires, and grievances of the Métis people [20].
The Supreme Court in affirmed that Métis bore rights in 2003. The components for the definition of 'Métis' was drawn in the judgment of R. v. Powley, which was made in reference to the Constitution Act, 1982. This included:
- Self-identification as a member of a Métis community.
- Ancestral connection to the historic Métis community whose practices ground the right in question
- Acceptance by the modern community with continuity to the historic Métis community [18]
Earlier in 2013, a new ruling by the Supreme Court was passed which said that promises regarding land scrip in the Manitoba Act were not fulfilled. This began as an appeal led by the Métis National Council to provoke attention from the government, which they had lacked in situations such as the petition from Louis Riel. This marks an amiable relationship between the Métis and the Federal Government of Canada. The two hold regular meetings to discuss matters about Métis treatment. [22]
Moreover, there has been plans to create a Métis constitution. President Chartier delivered a speech to the Métis about this proposal. The following is an excerpt:
Since I addressed your assembly last year, the MNC has made considerable progress toward the development of a Métis Nation Constitution.
The work we have been doing results from a resolution on Métis Nation Governance adopted by the MNC General Assembly in December 2010.
The objective of that resolution, as set out in its preamble, was to pursue a new modern Constitution as an expression of Métis self-determination and self- government.
In this pursuit, we are following in the footsteps of our earlier governments and organizations [23].
He emphasized the urgency of a constitution, in that it would allow independence as an individual Aboriginal group, and that it would lead to a more unified Métis population. It would show their national pride as a completely different Native population [19].