MNBC Wastes No Time in Running from Report on the MNO Issue

(April 5, 2025) On April 3rd, the Métis National Council (MNC) finally released an Expert Panel’s report on those 7 communities that Métis Nation of Ontario claimed to be historic Métis communities, but within just a few hours of the release Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) wasted no time in running the other way despite the fact that MNBC moved the original motion in 2021 to establish the Expert Panel and was strongly supportive of MNO’s position in the troubling issue.

 

In the 264 page report entitled National Definition of Métis: A Review of Communities in Ontario the panel concluded that “…the seven communities represented by the Métis Nation of Ontario meet the national definition established by the Métis National Council…”

 

The MNO’s claim that the 7 communities were historic Métis communities along with questions about whether MNO’s registry was following the national definition of Métis were at the core of the MNO’s suspension from the MNC in 2018. That suspension was strongly supported by then MNBC President Clara Morin DalCol but her position was opposed by some other members of the MNBC Board who sided with MNO.

 

After those same members removed Ms. Morin DalCol from her elected position of President in January 2021 in a coup, the group, headed up by then interim MNBC President Lissa Smith and taking advice from Walter Mineault, led the push at the MNC Annual General Assembly in September 2021 to end the suspension and bring MNO back into the MNC.

 

The move by MNBC in September 2021 to end the suspension of MNO was the beginning of the end of MNC as we knew it then with the Manitoba Métis Federation pulling out, but the new group at MNBC kept cozying up to MNO. Clara Morin DalCol warned at the time that the move by MNBC would do long-term damage to the Métis Nation.

 

After the Expert Panel report was released on April 3rd, MNBC issued a statement through its current President Walter Mineault stating (in part) that “this report misses the mark”, and then it goes onto to say that MNBC “…cannot verify or support its findings”. Well now, isn’t this a surprise!

 

Let’s take a closer look at MNBC’s involvement in this whole process;

 

• In January 2021 Lissa Smith and other members of the Board remove the duly elected MNBC President and one of the main reasons was that Clara Morin DalCol supported the probation and then suspension of MNO from MNC because of the whole issue of the 7 communities and the MNO registry

 

• In September 2021 Lissa Smith and the group, with the advice of Mineault move the motion at the MNC Annual General Assembly in Saskatchewan to bring MNO back into MNC and to establish an Experts Panel to deal with the MNO issues

 

• In September 2023, Lissa Smith and the other Governing Members of the MNC greet the members of the Expert Panel and confirm their Terms of Reference

 

• On March 28, 2024, MNBC’s Registry staff meet with the Expert Panel in Vancouver

 

• During 2024 the Expert Panel provides quarterly reports to members of the MNC Board of Governors including MNBC

 

• April 3, 2025 the Expert Panel’s Report is released and MNBC heads for the hills claiming (in part) that the report misses its mark and they cannot verify or support its findings and that “we are dismayed that this report will cause undue harm to the relationship between First Nations and Métis across the homeland”

 

President of Red River Métis British Columbia Clara Morin DalCol says, “Isn’t this ironic – after forcing me out of the elected office of MNBC President in January 2021 because of my opposition to the MNO actions, and after I warned this new group of the damage the MNO issue was doing to our relationship with First Nations, and after this new group spent the last 4 years cozying up to MNO, now they have realized that I was right all along.”

 

“But the damage has been done to the Métis Nation and the role MNBC played in that process is a classic example of what not to do. Their role is embarrassingly clear for everyone to see,” says the former MNBC President.

 

When MNBC posted their current President’s statement on Facebook on April 3rd there was such negative reaction that they removed almost all comments on the post and closed down any further comments.  

 

If you have grown frustrated with the kind of inept leadership that MNBC offers and their lack of accountability, you are invited to join Red River Métis British Columbia – a real grass-roots organization for true Métis. Any true Métis residing in British Columbia who meets our criteria, including the national definition of Métis can apply to join as a member of our Métis organization which is based right here in British Columbia. You can apply to join us by clicking on https://www.presidentclara.com/get-involved

 

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For further information:

Contact Clara Morin Dal Col

President – Red River Métis – British Columbia

Email: cmdalcol@gmail.com