In his press statement, the Prime Minister elaborated on an earlier commitment to meet each year with each of the Indigenous peoples on advancing section 35 rights reconciliation and establishing a new relationship with Canada:
“First, we will create permanent bilateral mechanisms with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the four Inuit Nunangat Regions, and the Métis National Council and its Governing Members. In this Kelowna-like process, every year, we will meet to develop policy on shared priorities, and monitor our progress going forward. Similar meetings with key Cabinet Ministers will take place at least twice each year.”
The first of those summits with the Prime Minister and the Métis Nation is being planned for January 2017. It is expected that senior officials from the government of Canada and the Métis Nation will work between meetings of Ministers and Métis Nation leaders to make progress on substantive issues.
A number of those key Ministers accompanied the Prime Minister to the talks today including Treasury Board President Scott Brison, INAC Minister Carolyn Bennett, Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and Health Minister Philpot.
Vice-President Chartrand was accompanied by fellow members of the MNC Board of Governors, MNO President Froh, MNA PresidentPoitras and MNBC President Morin Dal Col. He stated:”Today’s meeting between Canada’s National Indigenous Leaders, the Prime Minister and a number of his Ministers was productive. I am encouraged and commend this positive approach to renewed government-to-government relationship with the Métis Nation by Canada. Many doors have been opened for us, but we still face systematic and structural discrimination in our relationship with the federal government. We need a government wide distinctions based approach and a Métis Nation policy that addresses and meets our needs. I am confident, however, that this government under Prime Minister Trudeau is fully committed to fulfilling their promises and to creating a strong, sincere nation-to-nation relationship with the Métis Nation.”
MNC President Chartier was also pleased with the outcome of the meeting.
“It is good that the Prime Minister is now confirming the structure of the bilateral talks between Canada and the Métis Nation as we move forward on section 35 rights reconciliation, “ said Chartier. “This will help ensure a positive outcome for our upcoming summit with him and after that will make for a robust process involving his ministers and our leadership on an ongoing basis to deal and finally resolve long outstanding issues. I applaud the Prime Minister’s leadership on this.”
Media Source:
CBC interview with Indigenous leaders:
http://www.cbc.ca/beta/news/politics/trudeau-indigenous-leaders-trc-1.3897902
Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2016/12/15/statement-prime-minister-canada-advancing-reconciliation-indigenous-peoples
