Tony Belcourt's Blogs

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...

The Case for the MNO to "Be it's Own Boss" On February 11, 2013, I wrote and an article in response to a "Message from Clément Chartier - DANIELS CASE: A WAKE-UP CALL". Below is my Commentary which was published by aboriginal policy studies, University of Alberta.  I believe it is as relevant today as it was when I wrote it 5 years ago.     Commentary  FOR THE RECORD... On Métis Identity and Citizenship  Within the Métis Nation  Tony Belcourt  Founding President, Native Council of Canada  Founding President, Métis Nation of Ontario  128-141  http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/aps/article/view/19010 http://dx.doi.org/10.5663/aps.v2i2.19010  aboriginal policy studies , Vol. 2, no. 2, 2013  www.ualberta.ca/nativestudies/aps/  ISSN: 1923-3299  128  FOR THE RECORD... On Métis Identity and Citizenship Within the Métis Nation  Tony Belcourt  Founding President,...

A CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE  IN THE MÉTIS NATION OF ONTARIO (MNO) By Tony Belcourt January 9, 2019 Métis people in Ontario feel like there is a cloud over their head.    People are uncertain and have no trust in the MNO. Many have lost their harvester’s cards and others fear they are going to lose their citizenship card altogether, or at the very least, their voting rights.   Many think the MNO will be reduced to representing only those Métis “from the west” and that everyone else will be left behind.    Many are saying they are being ignored by the PCMNO. People are calling for a special assembly and talking about impeachment of the MNO Executive. Some are calling for a referendum to pull out of the Métis National Council (MNC). How did this happen?    There are a number of key factors: ·       the  Registry and Self-Government Readiness Process [1] (RSRP) approved by the PCMNO in October 2017 [2] ; ·...