NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
The Northwest Territory Metis Nation has posted protest signs at key areas of Wood Buffalo National Park highlighting the historical exclusion of Metis from the park.
"For years, we've been asking Parks (Canada) to provide information on their website talking about our relationship with the park. Now that we designed these signs without participation from Parks, they wake up - they're including us, and want to put information on their website," stated Ken Hudson, president of the Fort Smith Metis Council, in a June 23 news release.
The signs, titled 'Silencing the Truths of the Metis Experience', read:
"Shortly after the establishment of Wood Buffalo National Park, 1,923 Metis hunters and trappers and their families - all of whom had engaged in their traditional practices for generations - were unwillingly removed from the park, which was within the homeland of the Metis.
This exclusion resulted in significant hardship to these Metis families, including a loss of livelihood, their cabins, their traplines and their traditional way of life.
Subsequent pleadings and requests to government officials over the years to allow Metis to continue with their traditional practices, from Metis supported by many others, were ignored. Because of this removal, Metis have irretrievably lost their lifestyle, livelihood and connection to the land in the park - the consequences of which have not been fully appreciated or acknowledged to this day. The Northwest Territory Metis Nation is actively petitioning Canada to redress this colonial act."
The Metis Nation board of directors met in mid-June and approved a motion to post the signs around Wood Buffalo National Park by the Fort Resolution Metis Council, Fort Smith Metis Council and Hay River Metis Government Council.
"If the goal of government is reconciliation, the issue of the Metis being excluded from Wood Buffalo National Park has to be addressed," said Hudson, adding the issue has not been taken seriously by the federal government.
