On this Day in Our History: Metis frustration falling on deaf ears

Friday, September 28th, 2018 10:07am

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Clement Chartier remains frustrated with efforts to include more Métis in residential schools’ compensation payments. That frustration became evident in his fourth appearance before the Canadian Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples on Sept. 28, 2010.

Chartier, president of the Métis National Council, said, “As I mentioned on the three previous occasions, the vast majority of the Métis are not covered by that agreement and many of us have attended Métis residential schools... I am relatively disappointed that the Senate has not taken too much action with respect to what we bring forward.”

While Métis who attended Indian residential schools included in the settlement agreement are eligible for common experience payments, that list of schools does not include any Métis residential schools.

Chartier went on to state that the apology Prime Minister Stephen Harper delivered on June 11, 2008, was not directed to Métis people.

“It was one that the Métis nation embraced, not for us but for those Aboriginal peoples who were covered by the apology and covered by the settlement agreement,” said Chartier.

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