Manitoba Metis Federation

Background

February 22, 2000 marked the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Manitoba Metis Federation and the Province of Manitoba, one step closer to the creation of a child and family services system for Metis people in the province.

The agreement is the first of its kind in Canada. It is based upon the child welfare recommendations in the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry Report, and the ensuing Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission recommendations.

Under this agreement, we worked towards delivering an effective, community-based child and family services system to reflect our unique status, culture, and linguistic heritage.

The Manitoba Metis Federation committed to a three-year joint implementation process, known as the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry Child Welfare Initiative (AJI-CWI), along with Manitoba First Nations (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakak) and the provincial government to review and restructure child and family services within Manitoba.

The establishment of a Metis-specific child and family services agency has been a longstanding dream within the Metis community and it was with great excitement and enthusiasm that the Metis Child, Family and Community Services agency received the formal mandate from the Province of Manitoba to deliver child and family services province-wide on September 13, 2003 at the Manitoba Metis Federation's 35th Annual General Assembly. Following this, the Child and Family Services Authorities Act was proclaimed on November 24, 2003.

For further information on the Metis Child, Family and Community Services Agency, please visit their respective pages on this website.