A call to improve the state of the Metis in Sask.

They are tired of being misinterpreted and labelled, writes Wayne McKenzie.

I am motivated to write this column in part due to what I believe is my personal responsibility to focus the lens on the current state of the Metis peoples in Saskatchewan and secondly, to compel the public to act in a positive and proactive manner.

How do we, as Canadian and Metis citizens, participate in defining those rights, determine uniform Metis citizenship identity and design a modern-day interpretation of, and systems approach to, cohesive and complementary solutions?

I believe we must all work together to build a system of aboriginal governance that benefits all Canadians and grows strong and economically vibrant aboriginal communities. This means advocacy, transparency and accountability by and from our MPs MLAs, mayors and council, reeves and RMs and those elected and other aboriginal leaders that profess to express the “will and desire of the people.”

These elected officials must mutually take ownership and act in concert if real progress is to be made. The status quo of “off-loading” responsibility from one level of government to the other and relying on community governance and historic rhetoric to solve “the problem” needs to stop. I believe the public can motivate its elected representatives to make this a priority now and into the future.

The Metis people, I believe, can no longer stand by either fiscally or humanely and watch resources and opportunity pass us by. The Metis people are battleweary from the many program and project measures designed and implemented by governments that start and/or stop with each election cycle.

Metis constituents are disillusioned with aboriginal organizations and leaders who like their counterparts in mainstream government become part of the problem. Mimicking executive government ministries and titles without the real authority or resources to implement the most basic service initiatives required to grow and sustain a nation of people is not a government.

We, the Metis, are tired of being misunderstood, misinterpreted and labelled. Aboriginal people, specifically the Metis, are not asking for more employment equity, affirmative action or diversity but what they are asking for is equal access to and qualified representation within all job classifications, and in sectoral business development opportunities.

Metis advocates are willing to do the necessary and hard work to collaborate with the private and public sector, NGOs and other citizen groups and individuals to build integrated and sustainable “on-ramps” to the Saskatchewan economic highway.

You, the electorate, are tired of the seemingly endless debate, litigation, huge bureaucracy, policy initiatives, studies, commissions and the increasing costs to sustain limited and immeasurable results. This is an issue that is difficult to understand and navigate given the sheer complexity of the subject matter; however, what is clear is the dialogue cannot be allowed to continue pitting the right against the left, the white against the red, the idealist against the realist.

What then is the answer? I believe there is no single solution, and after many decades of trying to work with and within the existing framework I only know that we cannot give up. To quote Martin Luther King: “One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change.

Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.”

We need to work together creating local networks and success models. We, need to be creative, adept, instinctive and trusting. This is going to take hard work, understanding and perseverance. Your contribution in whatever form or action can and will level the playing field.

View your personal effort not as a handout but a hand up. This is the pioneer spirit in each of you and this is the Saskatchewan Way.

Wayne McKenzie is a former vice-president of Association of Metis and Non-Status Indians in Saskatchewan.