The Fort McKay Métis have filed a court application seeking an injunction against the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) for their alleged business interference.
According to the Fort McKay Métis, the MNA has approached stakeholders and industry in the region to negotiate partnerships while claiming to speak on behalf of the community.
Fort McKay Métis President, Ron Quintal said he has three messages for the MNA.
“First, to our current and future business partners, we speak for Fort McKay Métis members and its traditional territory. We apologize if any confusion has arisen about who speaks for Fort McKay. To be clear, ONLY the Fort McKay Métis speak for its members on issues that impact our rights and traditional territory.
Second, to our members, please rest assured that the leadership of the Fort McKay Métis will take all necessary steps to prevent any groups from interfering with, or harming our interests,” said Quintal.
“Finally, to the MNA, your actions speak louder than your words. You have attempted to negotiate on our behalf. That is utterly inappropriate. You do not represent us. Our successes as the community of Fort McKay are not because of the MNA, but in spite of it.”
Quintal noted that the Fort McKay Métis have worked very hard not to go down this path but given their efforts in establishing partnerships with oil companies and making themselves credible amongst the industry they want to speak for themselves when it comes to certain projects. He believes that the current actions of the MNA marginalize the community’s capabilities to be successful as it takes away the Fort McKay Métis ability to mitigate their impacts on rights that can be infringed on.
He’s hoping the injunction will add clarity for communities and industry on who they have to work with draw a line in between who has the right to represent who.
“I’m not in any way, shape, or form saying the Métis Nation does not represent its members,” said Quintal. “What I am saying though is, the communities who are impacted, whose traditional territories are being impacted should ultimately have all say and mitigate all impacts on those projects.”
Lawyers are arranging a special hearing for later this year however, Quintal is remaining optimistic that they can have a negotiation with the MNA to draw those lines internally.
“The last thing I want to do is use my community’s money to fight my our own nation,” said Quintal. “I would much rather have a negotiation and… an understanding in terms of the Métis communities representing themselves.”
Quintal welcomes the MNA supporting Métis communities fighting for their rights, however he feels in this circumstance they are undermining the Fort McKay Métis in a way that is taking a step backwards in how communities are defining themselves in today’s Society.
