As the President of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan, I would like to welcome all of the Members to this year's joint sitting of the regular and special Legislative Assemblies. I welcome also members of the Senate and the Provincial Métis Youth Council.

My written report is in the kit under Tab ___, so I will not go over the details that you can read later on. I just want to state that the members of the Provincial Métis Council in their respective roles and portfolios, have been doing what I believe is excellent work on behalf of our government and citizens.

This is a special gathering, as it will be the last Métis Nation Legislative Assembly for the 20th Century. The turning of this calendar year will bring us into a new millennium, an era we hope will be filled with prosperity and vision. As we meet this last time in 1999, we must recognize the challenges that lie ahead and prepare the necessary building blocks that will strengthen our opportunities in the future. This must be a productive Assembly as we continue the struggle for Métis self-determination and I am honoured to sit together in this circle of leaders to discuss and make such preparations.

However, before we move into the new millennium we should pause and reflect on the current millennium, which witnessed the birth of a new people, a new nation: the Métis nation of which we are a part. We are a young nation, perhaps better described as the youth of the Aboriginal or Indigenous peoples of the Americas, and around the world. We are the youngest, or newest of such Indigenous peoples.

We experienced our birth through the influence of the fur trade in what is now western Canada and part of the northwestern states of the United States that makes up our Métis nation homeland. Our nation first proudly flew its flag at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1814 under Métis leader Cuthbert Grant. Louis Riel and the Métis of the Red River formed the first provisional government in 1869 and negotiated the entry of Manitoba into confederation with Canada in 1870. Louis Riel is truly a founding father of Canada.

Again, the Métis, under the leadership of Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont, in 1885 stood up for their rights of self-government and land with the final battle at Batoche. Although badly outnumbered the Métis put up a great resistance, and their spirit of struggle has not been lost, as witnessed by the continued determination of our people to continue that struggle, which is securing the recognition of our legitimate rights as a people:

• The right to define our citizenship
• The right to land and resources
• The right to harvest our natural resources, such as by hunting and fishing
• The right to self-government
• The right to adequate necessities to house, feed, care for and educate our children
• Basically, the right of self-determination as a people.

Our regional contemporary struggle, as the Saskatchewan portion of the Métis Nation or homeland, was formalized once again in 1938 with the formation of the organization that lead to the creation of the Métis Society of Saskatchewan, which witnessed the continued effort towards establishing a land base for our people, as well as improved social and economic conditions. Many of us have been involved in this struggle for a good many years. Personally I have been part of this movement for thirty years and have witnessed first hand the significant developments that have taken place. Many of our leaders have since passed on, but their legacy continues through the gains we have made. For example, we have the Métis Addictions Council that has been in existence for 29 years and the Gabriel Dumont Institute which is now 19 years old. We have also made great strides in securing the recognition of Métis political rights, particularly the inclusion of the Métis in the Constitution of Canada in 1982, and direct involvement in constitutional negotiations with the Prime Minister and Premiers of the federal and provincial governments.

The institutions of MACSI and GDI came to be out of a common vision of our people, a vision that was put forward and supported at general assemblies of our people. As members of the Métis Nation Legislative Assembly, we too, must find the way to bring new ideas into reality. Change is always a difficult thing, however, we must always move forward. For example, with the declaration of Métis self-government in December 1993 through the adoption of our current Constitution, this Assembly of governance was created. We have passed legislation as a governing body since that time, and as mandated by the December 98 sitting, we will be reviewing further legislation tomorrow and over the next few years.

While I have seen many gains, I have also seen us falter as a Nation, seen our programs and services disappear because we have not established our place in the present system. We must entrench our rights in the present systems of government and within the courts, as we are doing through the Grumbo and Morin & Daigneault cases. Our governance of programs and services are always vulnerable, or, I should say, are secure only in so much as we are stabilized by the entrenchment of our rights as Métis people in this country. Our struggle is little different from that of our ancestors. It is through our culture and language, in keeping strong in our identity as Métis that we will be able to achieve our vision, and secure our rights.

It must be clear in our minds and in our hearts, who we are, where we have come from and where we are going. We are a distinct Aboriginal people, a distinct nation with a specific geographic homeland, history and social and political consciousness. Again, the Métis within Saskatchewan are only a part of that people, nation and homeland. If we truly believe in self-government, which I believe we do, then we must act accordingly. If we believe in our own government, we should be acting it out in the space that we have. This is what we mean by internal governance. On the other hand, if we don't practice what we believe, how can we expect other governments and the non-Métis public to support our assertions of Métis governance.

Governments are expert at side-tracking us. The more desperate and disjointed we are, the more successful are governments in detracting us from our objectives. We must always keep focussed on our vision and agenda. As I stated at the December 1998 MNLA, we must strike and maintain a balanced agenda: a rights agenda and a program and services agenda. We must work at long-term goals while addressing the short-term or immediate needs of our people. It is also important to again emphasize, while working on our immediate and short term needs, we must ensure that we incorporate and instill our identity, culture and struggle as a people. This is particularly true with respect to our children and youth.

Since the December 98 MNLA, and through our Affiliate, Métis Employment & Training, the youth came together in January in Regina to meet for the first of hopefully many times to discuss the issues that are facing them and to discuss the role that youth can play in our governance structure. We now have youth representatives sitting as Observers at the table of the Provincial Métis Council. Our youth have taken on particular portfolios and are learning the mandate and policies of our Affiliates. It is my hope that this involvement will continue to grow and that these youth consider leadership roles within our government, someday sitting among us here at the Legislative Assembly. I am making preparation to travel the province and meet with our people in their home communities to discuss our accomplishments and needs in regards to the rights agenda. It is my hope that the youth will accompany me in this journey as we meet to share knowledge and to strategize into the new millennium. We need to take the time to involve and educate the newest generation. We must do this in all the initiatives that we undertake as a nation.

The Chief Executive Officers of our Affiliated organizations have begun meeting on a regular basis and have started the important work of bringing our Affiliates closer within our governance structure. The Affiliates should work as arms of government and not as separate entities that are disconnected from the Métis Nation Agenda, whatever that may be today or in the future. The Gabriel Dumont Institute was developed as the forum for cultural development and educating our people in our history and the study of our ongoing history. This vision was in keeping with the balanced agenda. We have to bring this vision into clarity with all our Affiliates. Perhaps at the next special sitting of the MNLA, we could be reviewing a draft Affiliates Act and a draft Education Act.

When I walked to the gravesite this year at the Back to Batoche Days, I was reminded of the things that our people fought and died for in that not so distant ago past. I considered the situation of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan and wondered whether or not we had abandoned the cause and were just busying ourselves, fighting internally over money and authority and forgetting about the real issues. I think of the rights agenda, the land claim and the litigation work as significant to the historic cause, the cause that I was reminded of on that very rainy day in July. We need to continue to search for test cases all over the province that will further demonstrate the existence of our rights as Métis in this province. Further to this, we need to work together with our other Métis Nation organizations in other provinces and support the rights work that is done within those organizations.

We are one Métis Nation with a large homeland. What impacts on one province will surely carry over into the next, both good and bad. The land claim research is now in full swing, that is a success. Jurisdiction and Aboriginal title to land and resources continues to be the two basic impediments blocking the Métis Rights Agenda, both nationally and provincially. These are expensive processes that have major outcomes. Somehow we have to fund this process. We have to continue to be forceful in litigation. We also have to give the negotiation process an opportunity but must have a deadline and a point at which we follow a subsequent plan. For example, the Métis nation and provincial government have recently established a joint MNS / SERM Taskforce to examine resource issues including the area of hunting and fishing. While this process is on-going, we have agreed not to implement our licensing fishing under the Wildlife and Conservation Act. However, as stated above, we cannot wait forever for the governments to recognize our rights. We must decide on a reasonable timeframe to give these negotiations an opportunity to determine success or failure.

In the mean time, we may still have potential test cases which we will pursue in the courts - the Laliberte Case, out of Green Lake, will be one of them. In July, the Court of Queen's Bench in Battleford, based on the Grumbo decision, ordered a new trial in Laliberte. It is not certain whether the Crown will proceed with this case or not. As reported last year, this provincial government is awaiting the decision of the Court of Appeal in Manitoba in the Blaise Case which, if it goes to the Supreme Court of Canada, will determine if the Métis in the prairie provinces, have hunting rights under the 1930 Natural Resources Transfer Agreement. The Métis National Council is currently seeking Intervenor status in the Blaise Case and I will be one of the lawyers working on the arguments on behalf of the Métis Nation. As chairperson of the Métis Rights Panel of the Métis National Council, we are also exploring the possibility of launching complaints or actions at the International level with the United Nations Human Rights Committee and the Inter-American Human Rights Tribunal of the Organization of American States.

Governments are not going to support our efforts of self-determination: they may perceive our success as their loss. Governments are not going to fund our struggles: they may not perceive our gains as their gains also. We must use whatever we have gained to ensure that the struggle continues. Our Affiliates must support these efforts. Perhaps we need to institute a voluntary taxation act so that we can develop long-term strategies and maintain the momentum that we have won.

Capacity is an on-going issue within our provincial organization. Governments have made clear that they will only provide minimal funds available for the development of Métis governance structures. Our Ministers are expected to prepare and negotiate with other government Ministers at both the federal and provincial levels and they do not have the support staff to do the work that is necessary to meet equally at common tables. The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan Executive, and definitely speaking for myself; the President, must have staff to carry out the work that is needed in our negotiations. We are severely lacking in this area and it has made our negotiations less fruitful that they might have been. As we develop regional and urban governance structures or undertake initiatives at the grassroots level, there, too, there is a lack of capacity. We have to address this issue soon. We have to come up with some ideas collectively to ensure our future in the next century. We cannot assume that the federal or provincial governments will look after us. If we have learned anything from our history, it is this.

It is my hope that Batoche 2000 will provide us with an opportunity to commemorate our history and the efforts of those who have made possible today's struggle and also those successes of our time. There is always so much to consider. We must find time to talk and to debate and to determine our future direction. We must move with the times, must enter the 21st Century with clear strategies. At the meeting of the Métis National Council Board of Governors earlier this week, a resolution was passed supporting the establishment of a monument at the gravesite at Batoche. All of the other provincial Métis Nation organizations will gather with us at the monument and the commemoration ceremonies to be held in July 2000. Treasurer Allan Morin, the chairperson of the Batoche committee, will elaborate on the details of this event. The Métis National Council will also be holding a General Assembly on July 22nd and 23rd in Saskatoon or Prince Albert to coincide with these celebrations. This is something for us to look forward to and to work toward. No minute can be wasted. We must use these events and our gathering here today to make those hard and decisive decisions.

This sitting of the Métis Nation Legislative Assembly gives us the opportunity to effect Constitutional and Legislative change. As we are only a part of the Métis Nation as a whole, I have put forward a proposed Constitutional change to reflect that we are part of the Métis Nation and only one part of the Métis Nation. Hence, I propose we change our name from Métis Nation of Saskatchewan to Métis Nation - Saskatchewan.

While the constitution currently speaks of our members having the right to vote in our elections, we have had a practice since 1988 that allowed non-registered Métis to vote by signing declaration forms. In order to be consistent with our Constitution, I am proposing an amendment that would say, 'for greater certainty, only registered members who names appear on the voters list will have the right to vote or seek election'. But at the same time, I firmly believe that all Métis citizens within Saskatchewan, under the jurisdiction of our government, have a Constitutional right to be registered as citizens and have the right to seek office and to vote and they cannot be arbitrarily expelled from our government as Métis citizens. In fact, our Constitution provides for the formation of parties for the purpose of seeking elections, therefore, if any parties are formed and criticize the current leadership, they should be allowed to do so as part of the democratic process. On the other hand, for those Métis individuals or groups who choose to withdraw from the jurisdiction of our government and join organizations like the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples, then they should be perceived as choosing to forfeit their rights to seek office and vote in our government elections. This is why there is a need to make it clear that we have a voters list whereby only registered members/citizens can practice the rights of voting and seeking election.

Another problem we have encountered in the past is the conflict between the MNLA and the PMC as to when the election should be held. In order to avoid such conflicts in the future, I am proposing that the Constitution be amended to ensure that the elections take place at a fixed time which will then no longer be subject to debate. I am proposing that the elections take place during the last Saturday of May every three years, with the first election to be held on Saturday, May 26, 2001. This I believe will provide a sense of certainty that I believe is required. Your support on these proposed constitutional amendments would be greatly appreciated.

I know our Minister of Youth is putting forward Constitutional amendments to increase the involvement of youth in our governance structures which I believe should be supported.

Tomorrow, the Internal Governance Committee will bring forward the proposed legislation. Again, these pieces of legislation will help us frame our governance activities and give direction to future members of the MNLA, and provide a consistent basis for uniform government. In carrying out this work, the Internal Governance Committee and its dedicated technical support staff has ensured that the Constitution is not violated. On the contrary, the proposed legislation merely carries out the provisions of the Constitution.

This is particularly true of the role of the Senate. The proposed legislation provides for the increased involvement of the Senate in appeals processes and citizenship issues. However, in order to make the work of the work of the Senate meaningful, adequate resources will have to secured. In this connection, we are currently in the process of trying to obtain resources to enable the Senate to carry out the duties prescribed by the Constitution, and the proposed legislation. The voluntary work of the Senate to date is a stark reminder to us, of the dedication of our Elders to the struggle we are facing.

I also want to mention that an increased effort has to be made with respect to the Métis veterans. Our Minister of Veterans Affairs has no resources to work with, however, during the MNS lobby in Ottawa in early September, our delegation placed this as a priority and further work is currently being carried out. It should also be pointed out that Mr. Doug Kovatch, a lawyer who is working for us on our land claim litigation and for the Primrose Lake Air Weapons Range negotiating committee has taken on the responsibility of seeking Métis veteran's redress through the courts. Several Statements of Claim have been filed on behalf of some of our Veterans, and if their cases are successful, this will open the door to all Métis veterans. The results of this legal action should be known within the next year.

The era of the resistances has passed: the Battle of Seven Oaks, the signing of the Manitoba Act and the subsequent dispersal of our people from Red River and the Riel Resistance of 1885. We fight now on different fronts and use different strategies. But continue to fight we must, with hopefully the same honour and commitment that we attribute to our past leaders and citizens.

In closing, I thank you for this honour, to stand here and speak as the President of our provincial organization of the Métis Nation. To serve our people is the greatest honour one can have and it is with pride that I wear the sash and stand under our Nation's flag and speak to you today. I would like to thank you for this opportunity and for listening to my words today. I had much I wanted to say. I am proud to be Métis and I am proud of all of us for standing together as we have over the last hundred years or more and giving of our time and energy to build this Nation we call our own. The Métis Nation. Thank you.