Ottawa – Leadership from across the Métis Nation met with federal Cabinet Ministers on January 31 in Ottawa to drive progress on shared priorities, including economic development, education, health, justice, and policing. These are priority areas under the Canada-Métis Nation Accord, which was signed in 2017, and has been guiding the relationship between Métis and the federal government since.
At the meeting, leaders unanimously agreed to the co-development principles – a set of guiding principles that will determine how Canada and the Métis Nation will work together going forward. The agreed upon principles will set a basis for future progress and include recognition that reconciliation requires hard work, changes in perspectives, processes and actions, and compromise and good faith. They express a mutual desire between the Métis Nation and Canada to work together equitably, through their distinct decision-making processes that are considered of equal validity and weight, to deliver the best results for Métis. The co-development principles will be presented for official endorsement at the next Canada-Métis Nation Summit this year. At the meeting, the federal government announced $500,000 to support capacity building towards the co-development of a Métis Nation federal elementary and secondary education policy.
The Métis National Council and the Government of Canada will continue to work together towards a renewed relationship on a nation-to-nation, government-to-government basis, as we walk the path of reconciliation.
“Renewing our relationship with the Government of Canada through the Permanent Bilateral Mechanism is of utmost importance to ensure the Métis governments, communities, and citizens are best supported across the Homeland. I look forward to continuing this work together.” – Cassidy Caron, President, Métis National Council