Fort McKay Métis Nation formally leaves the Alberta Metis Federation

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(ANNews) – One of the Alberta Métis Federation’s (AMF) founding nations has opted to leave the organization.

Fort McKay Métis Nation (FMMN) formally announced on Feb. 27 that it was withdrawing from the AMF effective Sept. 25, 2024.

An FMMN news release said the decision to cut ties was reached after “extensive consultation” with its membership and leadership to reach “a path that best aligns with its interests, priorities, and right to self-determination.”

“We respect the work of the Alberta Métis Federation; however, our Nation must move forward in a direction that truly reflects the needs and aspirations of our community,” FMMN president Loretta Waquan said in the release.

“Our priority is ensuring our members’ well-being and that our rights and interests are properly represented.”

The news release included contact information for media inquiries, but when this newspaper asked to arrange an interview, it was informed that FMMN “will not be making any additional comments at this time.”

FMMN was one of six northern Métis communities who founded the AMF in February 2020 after breaking away from the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA), with the AMF being joined by a seventh member soon after.

At the time, then-FMMN president Ron Quintal slammed the MNA as “a club, not a government,” promising the new organization would enable “communities to have their own say in the greater context of the Métis nation.”

A week earlier, the Alberta government had recognized the FMMN’s “credible assertion” of its harvesting rights, meaning that the FMNN needs to be consulted for any natural resource development project that could impact their traditional rights.

Last year, a Federal Court judge struck down parts of the Métis Nation within Alberta Self-Government Recognition and Implementation Agreement that give the MNA a “monopoly” over Métis land rights, because of the federal government’s “complete lack of consultation” with the FMNN, as well as the Métis Settlements General Council.

In 2018, the FMMN, which is located 63 km north of Fort McMurray, bought all 492 acres of land its community sits on from the Alberta government for $1.6 million.

The remaining members of the AMF are the Owl River, Athabasca Landing, Willow Lake, Lakeland, Chard and Edmonton Métis communities.

The Feb. 27 FMNN news release notes that it will continue to “work collaboratively with other Métis communities and organizations on matters of shared importance.”

https://www.albertanativenews.com/fort- ... ederation/