Tony Belcourt's Blogs

Know OUR History – Part 4 By Tony Belcourt Métis of Ontario defied and challenged the government in order to fight for our rights.  A people stand up for their Nation.  Now it’s time for the Nation to stand up for its people!    In 2004, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources once again reneged on the deal to recognize the rights of our people to hunt and fish for food – a right recognized the previous year in the Supreme Court of Canada ruling in  R v. Powley . They once again threatened our people with charges.  But we said no. Our people stood their ground. I issued a call for our people to organize a fall hunt.  This was my message at the time: Metis Hunt and Gathering on the French October 14, 2004 Metis Traditional Harvesting Territories of  Mattawa-Nipissing and Georgian Bay As President of the Metis Nation of Ontario, and Chief Captain of the Hunt, I am calling for a Metis Hunt for social and...

Know OUR History – Part 3 Hunting season is upon us. The Metis fought long and hard to get the recognition of their right to hunt and fish for food. It took a long 10 year battle in the courts with the Ontario Government in a case called R v. Powley. We were victorious at the Supreme Court of Canada in 2003 and today, 15 years later we are grateful to Steve Powley and his family for their sacrifice and commitment to having our rights recognized. The plans to get to that point were cemented at the Metis Nation of Ontario's Founding Delegates Assembly in Toronto in May 1994. Attached is a link to the discussion we had at that historic gathering. Tony Belcourt September 22, 2018 https://soundcloud.com/tony-belcourt/metis-harvesting-rights-part-1

Know OUR History – Part 2 The Métis Nation of Ontario’s Founding Delegates Assembly was held in Toronto on May 4-7, 1994 at the Town Inn.  We had approximately 100 delegates from throughout Ontario.  Before the kickoff of the Assembly we held a working group meeting of Métis seniors and elders.  What took place was a discussion on the terminologies of seniors, elders and senators; how we decided on the number of Senators to be on the PCMNO; how we decided the structure and how the PCMNO was appointed and the Senators were chosen.  The session, in fact all of the proceedings of this important meeting were taped. I’m breaking down those tapes into smaller segments by subject. Here is a link to the tape of that session with seniors and elders. https://soundcloud.com/tony-belcourt/discussion-with-senators-and-elders-may-4-1994-town-inn Tony Belcourt September 16, 2018

Know OUR History - Part 1 By Tony Belcourt In its report to the 2018 Annual General Assembly, the MNO reported that according to the research done so far, almost 40% of MNO citizens lacked the  documents it says are now needed in the MNO Registry. The MNO reports that it has 18,000 citizens in the Registry. Does the MNO intend to remove up to 7,200 of those citizens? The MNO has a process underway to remove elected members of its Councils if they don't have documentation it says it needs (even though all of them have previously been verified in order to run in the first place). Does it intend to remove up to 100 of its 286 elected members of the Councils (PCMNO; Community Councils; Youth; Veterans)? What the current leadership of the MNO is doing is cold-hearted.  It is turning its back on the people who made the MNO possible in the beginning.  Except for a very small number on the PCMNO, none were around in the days when building the...

40% MAY BE REMOVED FROM MNO REGISTRY Say NO to Resolutions 1, 2 & 3 The MNO has just issued a  Backgrounder to Proposed Special Resolutions #1-3.   The PCMNO has directed the Registry to assess MNO citizenship files based on unauthorized criteria and then issue new cards to only those who meet those new requirements. “Files that are determined to meet the current requirements for MNO citizenship, including, an identification of whether these individuals ancestrally connect to one of the  identified seven historic Métis communities in Ontario or the Métis Nation in western Canada (i.e., through Métis scrip, land grants, etc.) will be issued a new MNO citizenship card (emphasis added)” The MNO Backgrounder reports that only 60.5% of the files are “complete” according to the above requirements.  Unless those whose files are incomplete can find documentation to meet the above-unauthorized criteria, those citizens will not be issued new MNO ci...

MNO PROPOSED SPECIAL RESOLUTIONS # 1, #2 AND #3 SHOULD BE DEFEATED By Tony Belcourt, Founding President, Métis Nation of Ontario The MNO has put forward to the 2018 AGA, three “Proposed Special Resolutions” regarding    MNO Citizenship (Proposed Special Resolution #1, Proposed Special Resolution #2, Proposed Special Resolution #3).    They should be defeated because they introduce a concept that is not present in the MNO Bylaws or its Registry Policy or Guidelines.    In fact, they are contrary to them and if passed may very well be a violation of them. Proposed Special Resolution #1 is titled:  Special Resolution on Verifying All MNO Citizens Are  Métis Rights-Holders and Meet Current MNO Citizenship Requirements (emphasis added) Proposed Special Resolution #1 is based on the  Registry and Self-Government Readiness Process passed by the PCMNO at its meeting on October 20-22, 2017.    That motion states: ...