The North Slave Métis Alliance are calling a Federal Court Decision a “huge win”.
The Federal Court decided today that Canada did not adequately consult the NSMA when the Northwest Territory Métis Nation Land and Resources Agreement-in-Principle was signed on July 31st, 2015.
NSMA President, Bill Enge, commented on the win.
“It confirms what we have been saying all along,” said Enge. “Our members are Métis of the Great Slave Lake area whose Aboriginal rights cannot be unilaterally extinguished by Canada according to its capricious regional policies.”
Enge says the NWTMN AiP showed intentions to extinguish the Aboriginal rights of all NSMA members who may have a Dene Ancestor from the South Slave Region.
Enge added: “The Court admonished Canada for deciding which organization had the more appealing agenda. In doing so, Canada ran roughshod over the Aboriginal rights of NSMA members as Métis.”
@_NSMA_ 100% vindicated as the legitimate Metis organization protecting our members' #Aboriginalrights as #Metis in the #NWT!! https://t.co/3S6C4UK8Vy
— North Slave Metis (@_NSMA_) October 19, 2017
In a statement, the Federal Court concluded that “Canada entered into its consultation with the NSMA based on a fundamental misconception of the nature and scope of its duty to consult and could not properly assess what, if any, accommodation measures would be appropriate.”
Any conclusion of a NWTMN final agreement has been delayed until further consultation occurs.
