It seems the Liberals are looking to reverse yet another past Conservative decision that withheld money from indigenous groups in Saskatchewan.
Exactly a month ago, Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett announced her government will reinstate funds that had been frozen under the First Nations Financial Transparency Act.
And now, after Bennett contacted the leaders of two divided factions in the Metis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S), the organization is on track to have some financial help and eventually get its full funding back. Those factions are President Robert Doucette and Vice-President Gerald Morin.
Now, all sides have agreed to a third-party funding proposal from the federal government that was originally made in December, said Morin.
“That third party, for all intents and purposes will be responsible for the administration and finances of the Metis Nation-Saskatchewan between now and the next election, whenever that happens,” he said.
This is a big step forward for a group that’s been plagued by internal disputes for years, and lost all its funding in late 2014. Then-minister Bernard Valcourt pointed to the fact that the MN-S hadn’t held a legislative assembly that year, which was required under its funding agreement.
But Morin says he and President Robert Doucette are on the same page in this situation.
Over the next few months, interim funds from the new Liberal government will provide for a series of meetings before the new fiscal year starts on April 1. At that time, full funding will be reinstated to pave the way to holding a Metis Nation Legislative Assembly, and “ultimately for an election” in the fall, Morin said.
It’s a step in the right direction, he said.
“This is working towards reinstatement of full funding and normalizing of relations between the federal government, and the Metis Nation-Saskatchewan and the province, and I suppose all third parties,” Morin said.
The third party that will distribute the funds, has yet to be decided upon.
Morin says he’s “happy” that the MN-S – which many feared would never get back on its feet – is now showing signs of life. In addition, the MN-S’s membership now has a chance for an impartial body to give them updates on the situation.
A meeting on the weekend was held at the request of Morin, who said members of the Provincial Metis Council wanted a face to face with officials from Ottawa so that they could answer some questions.