MÉTIS NATION BRITISH COLUMBIA BREAKS TRADITIONAL TIES WITH NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OVER GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

Vancouver, BC - In a historic move, members of the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) voted to leave the national organization, the Métis National Council (MNC), effective immediately. The decision was made following a virtual governance assembly where MNBC's elected board of directors and community leaders cast their ballots with a strong majority in favour of leaving.

The move comes as a culmination of similar actions by Métis groups in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, who cited concerns over the national organization's governance structure. According to MNBC president Walter Mineault, the organization will no longer be affiliated with the MNC due to its "inequitable" governance structure, which affords "absolute control" to the remaining founding member - Alberta.

The Métis National Council's bylaws have long stated that board meetings will include the president and two of the founding members from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or Alberta. However, after the Manitoba Métis Federation pulled out in 2021 citing concerns with membership in the Métis Nation of Ontario, and the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan left in recent months over similar reasons, only the Alberta group remains among the founders.

MNBC's vice-president Melanie Allard expressed dismay that negotiations to reform the MNC could not be resolved. Instead, the organization will focus on directly advocating for priorities that matter to Métis people in British Columbia. "We must take action by ourselves," Allard stated.

In response, the Métis Nation of Alberta (now known as the Otipemisiwak Métis Government) pledged its commitment to "fundamental reform" within the MNC. The group sees significant changes as necessary to restore balance and representation among the various Métis nations across Canada.

The decision marks a significant shift in the way Métis organizations operate, highlighting the growing need for increased autonomy and self-determination within Indigenous communities.