By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter\u00a0 THUNDER BAY \u2014 The Chiefs of Ontario is watching as a federal bill to extend treaty recognition to M\u00e9tis remains alive, Regional Grand Chief Abram Benedict said Thursday. Speaking to reporters after the COO\u2019s three-day fall assembly adjourned, Benedict said First Nations in the province remain opposed to Bill C-53, which would authorize Ottawa to negotiate and ratify treaties with M\u00e9tis organizations including the M\u00e9tis Nation of Ontario (MNO). \u201cOur position on (Bill C-53) hasn\u2019t changed,\u201d Benedict said. \u201cIt\u2019s something we\u2019ve been calling upon the government to remove off the docket to stop it from happening.\u201d The bill \u201crecognizes fraudulent right holders\u201d and needs to be withdrawn, he said. The bill hasn\u2019t been withdrawn, \u201cbut we\u2019re pretty certain that there isn\u2019t going to… <\/p>\n
By Mike Stimpson, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter\u00a0 THUNDER BAY \u2014 The Chiefs of Ontario is watching as a federal bill to extend treaty recognition to M\u00e9tis remains alive, Regional Grand Chief Abram Benedict said Thursday. Speaking to reporters after the COO\u2019s three-day fall assembly adjourned, Benedict said First Nations in the province remain opposed to Bill C-53, which would authorize Ottawa to negotiate and ratify treaties with M\u00e9tis organizations including the M\u00e9tis Nation of Ontario (MNO). \u201cOur position on (Bill C-53) hasn\u2019t changed,\u201d Benedict said. \u201cIt\u2019s something we\u2019ve been calling upon the government to remove off the docket to stop it from happening.\u201d The bill \u201crecognizes fraudulent right holders\u201d and needs to be withdrawn, he said. The bill hasn\u2019t been withdrawn, \u201cbut we\u2019re pretty certain that there isn\u2019t going to... <\/p>\n