Metis one step closer to self-government

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Self-determination for the Metis people of Alberta came a step closer to realization Thursday, Nov. 5 in Edmonton when Premier Don Getty, Metis Association of Alberta, (MAA) president Larry Desmeules and the six zone vice-presidents signed the Framework Agreement.

The Agreement, which promotes joint planning and action in six crucial areas of concern to the Metis, is a direct response to the MAA's submission for self-government presented to the Alberta government in May 1987.

"I think this is a sincere effort on the premier's part," said MAA officer for self-government, Steve Crocker. "Once the premier signs the Agreement he is saying he is willing to negotiate.

The objective of the Agreement is to develop cooperation between the provincial government and the MAA in the areas of: education/advanced education; social services; career development and employment; forestry, lands and wildlife; economic development and trade; and municipal affairs.

These six areas of planning were included in two reports submitted by the MAA to the government in the past year. The first submission was called Principals and Parameters, submitted in the fall of 1986, to which the MAA received no government response.

Among that paper's recommendations was the transfer of federal government transfer payments for services to the provincial government to the Metis to assume command over their own services and the guarantee of three Metis representatives to the Alberta legislature.

"Those are the main reasons we didn't get a response on that paper from the government," said Crocker. "New Zealand's Aboriginal people have four seats on their parliament and it's working there. So, this isn't an unreasonable request."

In April 1987, in an effort to stimulate talks with the government, the MAA submitted a follow-up to the Principles and Parameters paper called the Nexus Report.

While the Nexus Report was toned down in actual demands, the spirit of the original recommendations was still there. And it was this report that led to the Framework Agreement signed Thursday.

"We will be working on three main areas in this agreement," explained Crocker. "Land transfer, services transfer and an Aboriginal accord."

Crocker explained that by the fifth and last first ministers' conference, last March, no Aboriginal accord defining inherent rights was reached by the ministers.

"1982 was a big year for Metis people," said Crocker. "It was the first time in Canada that Metis were considered as having special rights."

In 1982 the constitutional act included Metis as Canadian Aboriginal people and therefore eligible for inherent rights, though those rights were not defined.

And those rights have yet to be defined despite five first ministers' conferences.

Crocker also says that the Meech Lake accord, which changed the process of amending the constitution, will make the battle for an Aboriginal accord even more difficult.

Prior to the Meech Lake accord, amendments to the Canadian Constitution required the consent of seven premiers and at least 50 per cent of the population. Meech Lake, however, requires mutual consent of all ten ministers.

"This makes it much tougher for Aboriginal people to get an Aboriginal accord," said Crocker. "But it doesn't make it impossible."

Among changes expected to result from the Framework Agreement are limitations on the number of locals allowed and the introduction of a seventh zone being Edmonton which houses almost a third of Alberta's Metis population.

The one year agreement is flexible allowing amendments through mutual consent of both parties but can be terminated by the minister by giving 30 days notice.

Crocker said the eventual goal of the Metis will be self-government within the Canadian Constitution.

"It is up to us," said Crocker. "The sky is the limit. We have to ask ourselves if Natives have these rights, who don't we?"