Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario Métis sign self-government deal with Ottawa | Canada News Media
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Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario Métis sign self-government deal with Ottawa

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Three Métis groups signed a deal Friday with the federal government that recognizes them as Indigenous governments, putting them on equal constitutional standing with First Nations and opening the door to further negotiations such as compensation for land lost.

“For over 90 years, that has always been the dream — that proper recognition of a Métis government,” said Audrey Poitras, president of the Métis Nation of Alberta.

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller, who also signed the deal with the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan and Métis Nation of Ontario, said it would soon be backed up by legislation.

“It affirms an inherent right (to self-government) that is very similar to the inherent right of First Nations,” Miller said.

The deal builds on a 2019 accord that acknowledged the Métis right to self-government but stopped short of naming groups that would form those governments. Friday’s agreement does just that, said lawyer Jason Madden, who acted for the Alberta group.

“This agreement says: ‘You’re a government,'” he said.

It gives the groups control over what it calls “core elements” of self-rule. That includes determining who is a Métis citizen, leadership selection and government operations.

It also brings the Métis groups under federal legislation that gives Indigenous governments control over family and child welfare.

“For many, many years we’ve been stopping and starting, trying to find a way to take care of our own children,” said Poitras. “With the signing of this new agreement, it takes us one step further to really look after our own citizens.”

Madden said Friday’s signing is limited to those elements — for now.

“The agreement allows for supplemental jurisdiction agreements,” he said. “(They) would be subsequently negotiated to deal with issues around land, harvesting, other things that may be more controversial.”

Miller said the next step will be a treaty and land claim for the Métis.

“This does create the base for those next conversations,” he said.

Poitras expects the deal will give Métis a stronger hand in negotiations with the province of Alberta as well.

The agreement also opens the door to negotiations on compensation for the notorious Métis scrip program.

“Scrip is a sorry legacy in this country,” Poitras said.

In the late 19th century, Métis were given scrip — a type of coupon — in exchange for land they had occupied for generations. The scrip was meant to compensate Métis for extinguishing any claim on those lands.

However, some charge that many Métis had their names forged on land transfer documents. Others were victimized by speculators who bought up Métis land for pennies on the dollar.

Métis were often left landless where they used to freely roam.

“There is some unfinished business,” Miller said. “It is embodied in the very difficult history around the scrip system that was fraudulent.”

The three agreements signed Friday aren’t the first to recognize Métis organizations as governments. The Métis Nation of Manitoba signed a similar deal in 2019.

Negotiations are ongoing with Métis groups in the Northwest Territories and British Columbia. Miller said talks with the Métis Nation of the Northwest Territories are well advanced.

The deal doesn’t affect the legal rights of Alberta’s eight Métis Settlements. Separate from the Métis Nation of Alberta and recognized under provincial law, the settlements are the only lands in Canada held collectively by Métis.

Dave Lamouche, president of the Métis Settlements General Council, said his group had no immediate comment on the deal signed Friday.

“It’s too early to tell,” he said. “We’re reviewing the details with our lawyers.”

Miller said the government will talk with Lamouche.

“We always have an open door to speak to them about their assertion of collective rights.”

But on Friday, three Métis nations were taking a victory lap.

“I think of all the past leaders and forefathers who stood strong on who we are,” Poitras said. “We are a Métis nation.

“It’s been amazing over the past five or six years, going forward, actually seeing things happen.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2023.

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Sixth-ranked Canadian women to face World Cup champion Spain in October friendly

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September 17, 2024

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The sixth-ranked Canadian women will face World Cup champion Spain in an international friendly next month.

Third-ranked Spain will host Canada on Oct. 25 at Estadio Francisco de la Hera in Almendralejo.

The game will be the first for the Canadian women since the Paris Olympics, where they lost to Germany in a quarterfinal penalty shootout after coach Bev Priestman was sent home and later suspended for a year by FIFA over her part in Canada’s drone-spying scandal.

In announcing the Spain friendly, Canada Soccer said more information on the interim women’s coaching staff for the October window will come later. Assistant coach Andy Spence took charge of the team in Priestman’s absence at the Olympics.

Spain finished fourth in Paris, beaten 1-0 by Germany in the bronze-medal match.

Canada is winless in three previous meetings (0-2-1) with Spain, most recently losing 1-0 at the Arnold Clark Cup in England in February 2022.

The teams played to a scoreless draw in May 2019 in Logroñés, Spain in a warm-up for the 2019 World Cup. Spain won 1-0 in March 2019 at the Algarve Cup in São João da Venda, Portugal.

Spain is a powerhouse in the women’s game these days.

It won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2022 and was runner-up in 2018. And it ousted Canada 2-1 in the round of 16 of the current U-20 tournament earlier this month in Colombia before falling 1-0 to Japan after extra time in the quarterfinal.

Spain won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and has finished on the podium on three other occasions.

FC Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati (2023) and Alexia Putellas (2021 and ’22) have combined to win the last three Women’s Ballon d’Or awards.

And Barcelona has won three of the last four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles.

“We continue to strive to diversify our opponent pool while maintaining a high level of competition.” Daniel Michelucci, Canada Soccer’s director of national team operations, said in a statement. “We anticipate a thrilling encounter, showcasing two of the world’s top-ranked teams.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024

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Former Oilers assistant GM Brad Holland follows his father out the door in Edmonton

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September 17, 2024

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EDMONTON – The NHL’s Edmonton Oilers announced Tuesday that assistant general manager Brad Holland is leaving the club.

The move comes almost three months after the departure of former Oilers general manager Ken Holland, Brad’s father.

Oilers chief executive officer and president of hockey operations Jeff Jackson said in a statement that Brad Holland and the team parted ways so Holland could “explore other opportunities.”

Holland, 43, joined the Oilers as a scout in 2019. He was promoted to assistant GM in July 2022.

He had a hand in building the team that advanced to Game 7 of the 2023-24 Stanley Cup final before losing to the Florida Panthers.

The Oilers hired former Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman to replace Ken Holland on July 1.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.

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Dolphins place Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after latest concussion, AP source says

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September 17, 2024

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins are placing Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after the quarterback was diagnosed with his third concussion in two years, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not yet announced the move. Tagovailoa will be sidelined for at least four games with the designation.

He was hurt in the third quarter of a Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills on a play where he collided with Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin. He ran for a first down and then initiated the contact by lowering his shoulder into Hamlin instead of sliding.

Players from both teams immediately motioned that Tagovailoa was hurt, and as he lay on the turf the quarterback exhibited some signs typically associated with a traumatic brain injury. He remained down on the field for a couple of minutes, got to his feet and walked to the sideline.

Tagovailoa this week began the process of consulting neurologists about his health. He was diagnosed with two concussions in 2022 and one while in college at Alabama.

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