Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Oct 05/01) - The Metis offices in Fort Providence and Fort Simpson are seeking federal funding to help them continue in self-government negotiations.

Albert Lafferty, president of Metis Local 57 in Fort Providence, put the request to federal negotiator Robin Aitken during a negotiations session last week. Aitken said he would look into the matter.

It's not the first time Lafferty has broached the topic. He has written a few letters over the past several months, including one to Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault. In it he noted that Metis offices are not afforded the same level of funding as First Nations offices.

"As Metis-Dene descendants, it has always been our view that fundamentally our aboriginal, legal and treaty rights stem from the same source as the Dene, yet we have been treated very differently by Canada," he wrote.

During a signing ceremony for the Interim Measures and Draft Framework agreements in May, Aitken had suggested that a portion of negotiations funds would have to be allocated to the Metis offices through the Deh Cho First Nations. However, Lafferty and DCFN Grand Chief Michael Nadli agree that the DCFN hasn't yet received enough funding to assist the Metis. Nadli said he too feels the federal government should be held responsible for providing extra funding.

"To do it right, the Metis Nation has to be supported," Nadli said. "I support the Metis Nation."

Additional travel and related expenses involved in Deh Cho Process negotiations is exacerbating an already difficult situation for the Metis offices, which are currently struggling to meet their day-to-day operations and maintenance costs, Lafferty acknowledged.

"We've got different grants for some of our travel, and we've got some very limited funding provided by Aboriginal Affairs of the GNWT," he said. "That's more or less how we continue to operate. It's really inadequate."