President's Message - June 07, 2023

June 7, 2023

On Saturday, June 3, 2023, we gathered under the wide blue skies of our Homeland, bound by a shared dream - a collective vision of the future in our hearts. We ushered in a new era for the Red River Métis through our Self-Government Recognition and Implementation Treaty at our Extraordinary General Assembly. The energy and pure joy in the room were unforgettable. I will never forget the moment Red River Métis Citizens raised their hands in unison and voted unanimously with a sea of hands in the air like prairie grass waving from a strong wind, to ratify our Treaty. In that incredibly special moment, there was an explosion of cheers, tears of happiness, and an outpouring of emotion - followed by the warm embraces of those closest to us.

Our generation's work on the Red River Métis Self-Government Implementation Treaty has been seven years in the making, beginning in 2016, but our Ancestors' work began centuries before this moment. In 1816, our Nation first took a stand to demand their place in the historic Northwest and the moment our infinity flag was unfurled, La Nouvelle Nation was born.

As the centuries passed, we faced no shortage of challenges and hardships. Yet here we stand, having fulfilled Louis Riel's dream of a strong and vibrant Nation governed by our own laws and our own traditions. We must be forever grateful to our Ancestors for the resilience we inherited from them. They have shaped us into who we are today. Thanks to them, we are not just history's children but history makers. Together, we are writing a new chapter for Red River Métis today and for our future generations.

We have many reasons to feel proud but there may be no greater reason than our Treaty. This Treaty is not merely a piece of paper - it is our inspired call to action, guided by our travels along our inherent rights journey. It forms the bedrock for our future community and is a further stepping stone towards a deeper government-to-government relationship with Canada that truly reflects the diversity and equality our country wishes to embody.

As your Red River Métis Government builds on the incredible momentum of this historic event, please consider the role you play in keeping our government strong. I encourage everyone to become more involved in the political life of the National Government of the Red River Métis. Our Locals are our strength, the grassroots where our best ideas for improving the lives of Citizens are born. Each of us has a duty and a responsibility to past generations and future generations to keep our democracy alive and well. Never forget who you are and that the efforts of each of us make the whole stronger.

Be proud of the unique culture and identity we share and protect it with everything you have. Never forget that only we are the Red River Métis of the Manitoba Act, 1870 and the people who negotiated Manitoba's entry into Confederation. We are the Flower Beadwork People, Otipemisiwak and Michif. Only we are the people of the Red River Cart and the Red River Jig. We are the people of the Buffalo Hunt, who wrote the Laws of the Prairie.

Throughout the summer, there will be opportunities to gather again through our Locals, at regional meetings and especially at our Ste. Madeleine Métis Days in July. I hope you will come to celebrate Red River Métis culture at this fantastic event and honour the families who once called this town home. There will be great music, tasty food, and, of course, friends and family.

The momentum will continue to build ahead of our Annual General Assembly this fall, and I hope to see each of you there. The work of safeguarding the future economic and social security of Red River Métis Citizens is not finished, but we can have the confidence to know the future will fulfill our greatest aspirations.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank all Citizens who participated in the historic vote this weekend, and who joined us in laughter, tears, joy, and pride as we brought our Nation forward into this bright new era.

Meeqwetch,

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