Thank you.
Before I start, I want to say how proud I am of Hayden. I've known Hayden since he was a very young man, and he does make my heart big.
Good afternoon. My name is Melanie Omeniho. I'm the president of Women of the Métis Nation-Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak.
I'd like to acknowledge that I'm joining you today from Treaty 6 territory, the motherland of the Métis nation.
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak is the national Métis women's organization. It's democratically mandated to represent Métis women across the Métis nation motherland. LFMO plays a significant role in enhancing the social, cultural, economic, environmental and leadership space occupied by Métis women. We influence public policy and decision-making related to rights, priorities, concerns and aspirations of Métis women within the Métis nation and the Canadian government.
I'm here today speaking in favour of the passing of Bill C-53. Having reviewed the proposed bill, I'm heartened to see that, after the signing in 2019 with Canada and the Métis governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario, the relationship will be formalized by way of the passing of Bill C-53.
Métis people have long been seen as the “free men”. The Cree people gave us the name of “Otipemisiwak”: the people who governed and owned themselves.
This bill recognizes and acknowledges that Métis people have the right, based on section 35 of the Constitution of 1982, to actualize self-government. By way of law, this will further define that Canada will interact with the specified Métis governments, recognizing their right to self-govern.
This bill does not deal with land or land rights, as may have been heard through media. It speaks solely to the internal governance structures of the Otipemisiwak-Métis government, the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan and the Métis Nation of Alberta. It does not impact on other indigenous peoples or other people who are Métis who are seeking their own rights.
The bill recognizes the authority with respect to governance, operations and things like child and family services. Further, Bill C-53 speaks to our self-determination on who is Métis. This bill has no adverse impacts on other indigenous peoples. Métis rights are not subordinate to the rights of other indigenous peoples. There is no hierarchy of indigenous rights. This fact is spoken about within the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and even in the Supreme Court of Canada in the Powley decision.
With several recent examples of the swift passing of government bills on other indigenous nations, I would expect that there would be no impediment to the swift passing of this act.
Article 4 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states:
Indigenous peoples, in exercising their right to self-determination, have the right to autonomy or self-government in matters relating to their internal and local affairs, as well as ways and means for financing their autonomous functions.
Further, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act states:
Whereas the Government of Canada recognizes that all relations with Indigenous peoples must be based on the recognition and implementation of the inherent right to self-determination, including the right of self-government;
Bill C-53 is simply validating what the Government of Canada has already committed to in its relationship with indigenous peoples. We speak strongly in favour of the work and look to offer our support with ongoing Métis gender-based intersectional analysis through the implementation of Bill C-53. It will take everyone's collective efforts to make this process a success and to empower this historic bill to be a driving force to advance reconciliation in Canada.
I look forward to joining with our other Métis nation leaders to ensure the swift passing of this bill supporting the Métis nation of governments and advancing our reconciliation.
Thank you.