By Alessia Passafiume THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA- The Liberal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is defending a bill that would formalize several Metis self-governance agreements, after more than a month of heated debate between Indigenous leaders at a parliamentary committee. While the leaders of Metis groups in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario say the legislation would unlock new opportunities and foster a new relationship with Ottawa, prominent First Nations voices are raising concerns about irreparable damage to treaty rights. They say that with the bill, the federal government is essentially giving Metis organizations a blank sheet of paper to write treaties on, with no oversight. On Thursday, it was Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree’s turn to take questions at the House of Commons Indigenous and northern affairs committee. Anandasangaree said Metis have…
Log In Register
