Manitoba Mtis Federation leaves Mtis National Council

The Manitoba Mtis Federation (MMF) announced Wednesday it was leaving the Mtis National Council (MNC) over membership issues involving theMtis Nation Ontario (MNO).

"We view this not as MMF leaving MNC," wrote MMF President David Chartrandin a letter to MNC President Clement Chartier dated Sept. 28.

"Rather it is the MNCthat has abandoned the MMFand the true Mtis Nation."

In anews release Wednesday, the MMF said that at its2019 annual general assembly, a resolution was passed that the MMF should withdraw from the MNC "should MNO continue to be allowed a seat at the governance tablewhilethey by their own admissionhavenearly 80 per centnon-Mtis Nation Citizensin their registry."

Debate about membership and who is and who isn't Mtis has caused divisions among the various provincial Mtis organizations.

According to the 2016 census, there are 120,585 self-identifying Mtis people in Ontario, a 40 per cent increase from 2011 and an increase of 64 per cent since 2006.

The Mtis Nation of Ontario was put on a one-year probation by the national councilin 2018, and was suspended in January 2020 over a perceived lack of adherence to the national council'sdefinition of citizenship, adopted in 2002. According to the national council, "Mtis" means someone who has ancestors connected to the historic Mtis Nation who livedin the historic Mtis Nation homeland.

In his letter to Chartier, Chartrandreferencedthe Manitoba MetisSelf-Government Recognition and Implementation Agreement signed July 6 and said "We will continue to protect our citizens regardless of where they live.We stand tall as the only true Mtis Government with a modern day treaty that is about to be signed, and a land claim that is about to be settled."

Will represent all Red River Mtis

Chartrandsaid in an interview he would no longer recognize the Mtis National Council.

"We've gone through so much hostility in this country to protect our identity.[and] they've lost their direction, in my view," he said.

Chartrand said the MMF willrepresent anyone who has ties to the Red River Mtis and said the organization has seen an uptick in membership applications.

"We're getting a flood of applications right now, which is quite it's astounding in some sense," said Chartrand.

"Thousands of Mtis from the Red River are joining from all across western Canada and putting applications to be a citizen of the Mtisfederation."

In a statement dated Tuesday,MNO PresidentMargaret Frohsaid"The Mtis Nation of Ontario is disappointed, but equally, not surprised by the MMF's decision to withdraw from the Mtis National Council."

The statement said it was"especially disturbing that after two years of delays, the MMF chose to withdraw on the eve of the MNC General Assembly and election.

Froh said the MNO"remainscommitted to transparency and accountability in Mtis Nation governance."

"As it always has, MNO will continue to work in collaboration with other Mtis Governments to advance the interests and priorities of the Mtis citizens we represent and the Mtis Nation as a whole."

A special sitting of theMtis National CouncilGeneral Assembly is happening Wednesday and Thursday in Saskatoon.