Federal Recognition Of Métis Self-Government Is A Big Deal Commentary by Tony Belcourt At last, Métis will be out of the clutches of governments. Without recognition of our right of self-government, we have been forced to operate our collectives as “not-for-profit” corporations or associations. The bottom line is that the leaders of those organizations are legally bound by the provincial corporations acts and their allegiance is therefore bound to the corporation – not to the people. They are sworn to uphold the interests of the corporation and when lawyers tell them they are bound to secrecy, they obey. Nobody can mistake my intense dislike for “incorporating” under provincial laws. When we started the Métis Nation of Ontario, we decided we would operate as a Métis governing body outside of those laws. But, regrettably, we were forced to incorporate a secretariat for the purpose of doing business because we would otherw...