Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 25/99) - The ongoing disputes among North Slave Metis organizations have crossed North Slave borders and have implications for all NWT Metis in areas such as land claims, resources control and, perhaps most significantly, the fundamental nature of who is a Metis.

The most publicized dispute involves a suit launched in December by Metis Nation Locals 64 and 66 against the North Slave Metis Alliance, or NSMA. A session was held in the Supreme Court of the NWT on Friday and hearing dates will likely be set next week.

In reaction to this court action and the faction battles, a Jan. 18 edition of Wings - the Voice of the South Slave Metis news bulletin criticizes the North Slave infighting and questions whether there should be a separate North Slave land claim process at all.

With headlines such as "Confusion running rampant among Yellowknife Metis" and "Hidden agendas and false hopes," the South Slave Metis Tribal Council, or SSMTC, which oversees the Wings publication, appears intent on convincing South Slave Metis of the dangers of becoming involved in North Slave politics.

Articles accuse North Slave organizations of actively recruiting South Slave Metis for the purpose of bolstering membership numbers and political clout.

The bulletin reports that North Slave membership rolls and activities also include many non-indigenous Metis and individuals who gained Indian status under the 1985 Bill C-31 amendment to the Indian Act, further complicating matters.

Wings also cites the former and current ministers of Indian Affairs, Ronald Irwin and Jane Stewart, saying there will be no separate, Metis-only land claim process for North Slave Metis, but that Metis living in the North Slave should pursue their interests via the SSMTC or other aboriginal groups.

One South Slave Metis, who asked not to be identified, also questioned the legitimacy of land rights negotiations between North Slave groups and companies like BHP Diamonds Inc.

"It's a weird situation, and I wonder what BHP is thinking now, because they thought they made a deal with the Metis, but many of the Metis they dealt with are registered members of Bill C-31," he said.

But BHP external affairs manager Graham Nicholls said Friday that the dispute has not had an impact on business activity. BHP signed an impact-benefit agreement with NSMA on July 21 last year, and Nicholls said this was done to address the concerns of the Metis living in areas affected by the Ekati diamond mine.

Nicholls said BHP must naturally remain aloof about internal Metis disputes and simply negotiate with Metis in areas impacted by company activity.

"It doesn't necessarily affect us, though we certainly appreciate that it's part of the environment we work in," he said, adding, "the vast majority of these issues are something we have no control over."

Many parties have voiced their hope that the current court case may help clear the air. They expect all organizations will have to openly state their criteria for membership eligibility, and then stick to it.