Spring 2021 Special Issue Métis Election Spring 2021 Contents EDITORS Lisa Bird-Wilson 2 Message from Candidates for Vice President Karon Shmon the Executive Director EDITORIAL BOARD 32 Darrel Burnouf Geordy McCaffrey 6 Métis Nation–Saskatchewan Lisa Bird-Wilson Regions Map 34 Darren Deschambeault Karon Shmon CONTRIBUTORS A publication of the 7 Region Director Candidates 36 Michelle LeClair Beckie Belanger Gabriel Dumont Institute Darrel Burnouf of Native Studies and 8 Election Issue Introduction 38 Dale McAuley Clément Chartier Applied Research Inc. Earl Cook Darren Deschambeault Any correspondence or inquiries can be made to: 9 Executive Candidates 40 Gerald Morin Louis G. Gardiner The Gabriel Dumont Institute Melvina Goulet 917-22nd Street West Candidates for Secretary Candidates for President May V. Henderson Saskatoon, SK S7M 0R9 Harmonie Amanda King Telephone: 306.242.6070 John Robert Lafontaine [email protected] 10 Beckie Belanger 42 Clément Chartier Dennis Langan The New Nation is published quarterly. Karen LaRocque 12 May V. Henderson 44 Karen LaRocque Michelle LeClair All views and opinions expressed in this Dale McAuley publication are those of the various authors and Lisa McCallum are not necessarily those of the Gabriel Dumont 14 Lisa McCallum 46 Mary Ann Morin Craig Henry Morin Institute or its Executive. Gerald Morin Mary Ann Morin No part of this publication may be reproduced, 16 Craig Henry Morin 48 Glen Hector McCallum Ashley Norton in any shape or form without the express written consent of The New Nation and the Gabriel Dumont Institute. 18 Ashley Norton 50 Voting Locations and Times DESIGNER Murray Lindsay Advertising can be obtained by contacting Candidates for Treasurer The New Nation at the Gabriel Dumont Institute. COVER PHOTO George Gingras Advertisers and advertising agencies assume full 20 Earl Cook responsibility for all content of advertisements printed. Advertisers also assume responsibility for any claim arising therefrom made against 22 Louis G. Gardiner The New Nation or the Gabriel Dumont Institute. Back issues of The New Nation can also be 24 Melvina Goulet downloaded from: www.Métismuseum.ca/newnation 26 Harmonie Amanda King 28 John Robert Lafontaine 30 Dennis Langan of NATIVE STUDIES and APPLIED RESEARCH 1 In spite of the MN–S struggles, the Institute As we enter this election cycle it is a good Message from the Gabriel Dumont Institute flourished. It succeeded and grew because it opportunity for Métis people to reflect on the size Executive Director operated at an arms-length from the politics of the of our government. To put this into context, at the Métis Nation. The Institute thrived under a board of writing of this message we have approximately Election Stakes Have Never Been Higher directors appointed by MN–S regions and ratified by 15,000 registered Métis citizens. We have a PMC of both the Provincial Métis Council and the Minister 18 and potentially up to 130 Métis locals throughout In less than a month Métis people will go to the polls of Advanced Education for the province. Each GDI the province. Roughly, the Métis have an elected to elect a new Métis government that will make up board director was provided with governance official for every 100 people. In comparison, each the Provincial Métis Council (PMC). Thanks to the training to strengthen their skills and abilities federal Member of Parliament (MP) is responsible historic Canada-Métis Nation Accord negotiated by to serve our people. More importantly, besides for, give-or-take, 100,000 people. For the province, the Métis National Council in 2017, based upon our the stability created for the Members of the Legislative Section 35 rights, the newly-elected PMC members governance of the Institute, Assembly (MLAs) represent will start their jobs with over $50 million this fiscal stability in the education roughly 18,000. year—funds intended to flow for the benefit of our and training offered by the Métis communities. Over the last four years over Institute meant the Métis In December of 2020 the 110 million has flowed to Saskatchewan. Ottawa students in Saskatchewan PMC approved raises based has sent money for Métis post-secondary students, were still able to pursue their generally on salaries earned housing, economic development, early learning education and career goals. by provincial MLAs. The new and childcare, and a variety of other portfolios. range for a PMC member starts GDI founders structured the at $100,600 and tops out at I feel truly blessed to have had the privilege and Institute to train Métis people $175,000 for the president. honour of serving Gabriel Dumont Institute (GDI) for future jobs under Métis These increases were made and the Métis community for the last 28 years, self-government. To this end, retroactive to April 01, 2020. working alongside hundreds of dedicated Métis the Institute has prepared These salaries were approved people we have collectively built GDI into the most and graduated thousands despite the fact that some envied and coveted Métis success story throughout of students at almost every of our Métis regions would the Homeland. It would be a challenge for anyone Geordy McCaffrey, Executive Director, level in hundreds of different be hard-pressed to find 300 to find a more competent, effective, and admired Gabriel Dumont Institute employment fields. While registered citizens. Although Métis organization in the Homeland. some of these graduates have the new PMC salary grids were been employed at GDI and other affiliates, most modeled on provincial MLAs, MLAs and MPs are not Métis leaders of the 70s had many hard-fought Throughout the 41 years GDI has served the Métis have been absorbed into mainstream employers allowed to have second full-time jobs. Yet the PMC battles to establish the Institute and the other Métis of Saskatchewan, it has stood strong beside the and have not found a home within their own authorized themselves to be able to hold other full- affiliates that provide services to the Métis. When Métis Nation–Saskatchewan even as the MN–S government. time employment while collecting a salary as an creating the GDI Bylaws, our founders clearly knew experienced its share of ups and downs. Our Métis elected MN–S representative. One must question governance structure has struggled with a myriad A scan of our Métis government’s senior if the level and amount of Métis governance is The Métis leaders who of issues including election fraud, lawsuits, loss of management shows a glaring absence of Métis effective, efficient, or maintainable. established GDI had it funding, and chronic infighting. At one of our low people at the upper leadership level, while at the points in 1994, Métis people almost lost the Gabriel same time it is touting a new self-government In 2019 the MN–S released an interim report on right. The foresight of these model. I can’t help but look back on the history Constitutional Reform for the MN–S. In that report leaders brings a smile to my Dumont Institute. Financial resources were taken from GDI and provided to the MN–S. When our Métis of the Métis scrip process that occurred in the late the authors assert that Métis people want “all face. Their wisdom set the government pulled federal training resources from 1800s and early 1900s, when speculators with ties affiliates to come under the umbrella of the MN–S foundation for GDI to succeed. the Institute, it left GDI with a huge, unmanageable to the government of the day followed the scrip and identify clear lines of reporting.” One wonders debt. At the eleventh-hour, the province stepped processes around throughout the Métis Homeland. who in the Métis public expressed this desire and the Institute would function best when operating in, restructured the GDI board and provided a term Systematically, through fraud and other dubious what information or history was provided to them at an arms-length from the MN–S. They enshrined loan. Since that point, when the province lent a methods, they turned our people into landless that would lead to this outcome. From an internal in our bylaws that, “the Institute shall operate as a helping hand, GDI has been on a meteoric rise. It has citizens in the very country we called our own. It is staff perspective, GDI has over 80 Institute staff- separate entity with the parent organization (MN–S) become one of the most important post-secondary imperative that the elected leaders chart a new path signed letters indicating that they do not want to and shall maintain separate offices, administration, institutions in the province. Revenues have risen and build a strong foundation for Métis generations see the MN–S restructure GDI in any manner. Had to come, rather than allow modern-day speculators we brought this to the attention of our students New Nation Magazine • spring 2021 programs and services.” The Métis leaders who from just over seven million in 1994, to over 40 established GDI had it right. The foresight of these million in 2021. to enrich themselves off Métis Accord resources set and community I am sure that they would have leaders brings a smile to my face. Their wisdom set aside for Métis communities. similar reservations over any restructure of GDI 2 the foundation for GDI to succeed. 3 very seriously. The stakes are high—in fact, they’ve “I was around when it started. To see 40 years of this, not only education for our young I encourage you to take never been higher. Be sure to ask each and every this upcoming election very candidate at every level where they stand on GDI people, but the people who came back to go to school, that’s something that never seriously.