Loading articles...

Local Métis sign Memorandum of Understanding

(Photo: L to R Fred 'Jumbo' Fraser of Fort Chipewyan, Shirley Tremblay of Conklin, Ron Quintal of Fort McKay and Gail Gallupe of Fort McMurray pictured as they signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Sept. 3, 2015. Sarah Anderson REPORTER)

(Photo: L to R Fred ‘Jumbo’ Fraser of Fort Chipewyan, Shirley Tremblay of Conklin, Ron Quintal of Fort McKay and Gail Gallupe of Fort McMurray pictured as they signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Sept. 3, 2015. Sarah Anderson REPORTER)

The Métis communities of Conklin, Fort Chipewyan, Fort McKay and Fort McMurray can now formally come together under the title of Wood Buffalo Métis, thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding signed today by the presidents of each local council.

This MOU allows them to put forward a coordinated messsage, when they have unanimous agreement, on issues facing one or all of their communities so they can fight together for rights and recognition.

They argue the four communities possess a position unique from other Metis Communities because of where they are situated.

“We here in northeastern Alberta and Wood Buffalo are faced with much different challenges, much different impacts than your typical Métis community around the province in the fact that we are probably the most impacted when it comes to development.” said Ron Quintal, President of the Fort McKay Métis Community Association.

He went on to elaborate on those different concerns, saying that Fort Chipewyan is downstream of everything so they feel the effects of everything happening in the region, that Conklin faces a huge impact from oil production, Fort McMurray faces infrastructure, housing and education challenges and Fort McKay is “ground zero when it comes to open pit mining.”

“So, because of that uniqueness and because of these impacts, what this MOU does for us is it allows us to collaborate on various issues,” said Quintal.

Now the MOU has been signed the communities can also bypass the complex and often bureaucratic governance structure of Métis Nation of Alberta Region 1 that in many cases requires the creation of bylaws to form collaborations. Also, collaborations formed under MNA Region 1 would not require a unanimous decision, something that was important to the signatories of today’s MOU.

They’ll be working to implement into law the UN declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples, to develop a Métis Consultation Policy with the Alberta Government, to create a new Métis Harvesting Policy that recognizes the constitutional rights of their communities, to develop environmental policy, include their culture in the education curriculum, create more affordable social housing and bring better health care and policing to rural Wood Buffalo.

The four communities have also agreed to push for a national inquiry into the cases of missing and murdered Aboriginal women across Canada.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to collaborate and become stronger together so when we have any concerns we know we can turn to our Memorandum of Understanding and use it as a consultation,” said Gail Gallupe, President of the Métis Nation of Alberta Association for Fort McMurray Local Council 1935.

“I’m very pleased to have signed this Memorandum of Understanding and I’m proud of my three neighbouring locals. They have made it possible that we are going to be getting our multiplex which is supposed to be done by the end of 2017. It will be big enough now to house our policing and our nursing station so we’re very happy,” said Shirley Tremblay, President of the Métis Nation of Alberta Association Local Council #193 Conklin.

She said that project is an example of what can be achieved by the groups working together which all parties believe will be more effective under the formal title of Wood Buffalo Metis created by the memorandum.

“I was just thinking yesterday if I wanted to do something I was doing it by myself but today we’ve got a group that goes from Conklin to the Northwest Territories border. What more could you ask for? We’ve got all the help in the world now so look out, it’s going to be good,” said Fred ‘Jumbo’ Fraser, President of Métis Nation of Alberta Association Local Council #125 Fort Chipewyan.

The agreement does require all parties to agree in order to have representation of the Wood Buffalo Métis, otherwise the communities must act alone as they have done in the past.