Council of Diaspora Métis
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| Council of Diaspora Métis (CDM) | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Leader | Secretary General (election 2006) |
| Founded | February 2006 |
| Headquarters | Kauniainen, Finland PB 332 FIN00131Helsinki 31 Republic of Finland |
| Political Ideology | Democratic Politics Democratic (to liaise with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada), Democratic Process |
| International Affiliation | UNPO (seeking, 2007) |
| European Affiliation | none |
| Colours | Gold, Blue, White |
| Website | Pending May 2006 |
| See also |
|
The Council of Diaspora Métis is the international representative of the Métis people of Canada and the northern United States located outside of North America, either temporarily or permanently. It was founded in February 2006 largely as a result of the lack of any existing organisation or branch for Métis located outside of areas served by Métis organisations.
The CDM is based in the European Union in Helsinki, Finland and shall also act as a liaison to Nordic and European NGO's in Métis issues, including the teaching and preservation of the Michif language.
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[edit] Background Information
The CDM was founded during a time when the term Métis people had been under much discussion with little agreement among Canadian Métis organizations as to whether Métis people in western Canada, the United States, the entirety of Canada and even persons with mixed Native-European North American ancestry living in other parts of the world ought to be considered as forming part of the Métis Nation. For instance, the Canadian Constitution recognizes Métis rights while leaving the definition of this people open for interpretation. Agreement has existed amongst all Métis organizations (even those in the US) that a person claiming Métis identity should at least:
- be of mixed North American aboriginal/non-aboriginal ancestry,
- self-identify as a Métis person and
- be accepted as a part of the community by some Métis community
There is a state of disagreement however as to whether only those persons happening to trace their ancestry to Métis in western Canada ought to consider themselves Métis. There is at present no legal decision or constitutional provision making this the case. In fact, it would appear that most persons having a clear Métis identity but having ancestors who lacked land-transfer or scripp documents (for instance from the Red River colony or Manitoba) would be unable to qualify for Métis status under such a regime. Also, mechanisms to resolve unclear cases did not exist in most Métis organizations.
[edit] Peculiar Status and Needs of Diaspora Métis
While the above conditions were part of legal and organizational life for Métis people both in and outside of Canada and North America, the increasing mobility of a well-educated generation of Métis led to a demographic situation where a number of members of the community were living and working outside of Canada and the US in other western countries. Particularly in the European Union, persons of Métis ancestry and identity comprised an exceptional pool of talent and language skills while at the same time lacking the ability to affiliate with Métis organizations back in Canada due to residence and other requirements.
Also, the Diaspora Métis located in regions such as the European Union while comprising an important diplomatic and knowledge resource in Métis issues and culture were unable to maintain contacts with their own ancestral community and heritage. This peculiar status of Diaspora Métis combined with the special needs of this group led to the forming of a separate community maintaining its own relations with aboriginal organisations and government agencies in Canada, the US and internationally.
[edit] Structure and Politics
The Council of Diaspora Métis consists of individuals and communities of Métis people fulfilling the three basic criteria for indification as Métis or in unclear but otherwise credible cases having been adopted by a Métis community. The organization's highest ruling body is the Assembly of Communities which is to be representative of the existing location of Diaspora Métis in the various countries of the European Union. The chairman and president of the Assembly represents the CDM and is known as the Secretary General. The Assembly may consist of 3-20 members who meet once every two years for a general meeting and otherwise conduct business by mail, telephone, fax and e-mail. The Secretary General is elected by general and secret ballot vote for a term of three years, the Assembly at a general meeting by attending members for a term of two years.
The Assembly conducts the affairs of the CDM via working groups known as ministries whose members are recommended by the Secretary General on the basis of actual merit and voted in by the members of the Assembly. Where agreement cannot be reached, one member of the Assembly is elected as an arbitrary elector who must reach consensus with the Secretary General within two weeks on the election of members and a minister for the working group in question. Ministries are led by a Minister (working group chairman) elected within each working group. The Secretary General usually represents the views and policy of the ministers as per their written instructions, but may empower a minister to represent the CDM in a particular negotiation or at a particular conference or meeting. Ministries or working groups include areas such as international relations, information, culture, legal issues and Michif language.
The CDM strives to be a moderate, intelligent and realistic voice in the aboriginal issues forum, recognizing the complex nature of post-colonial Canadian/American society attempting to take into account the identity-related dilemma of those Europeans having lived many generations in North America. The CDM strives to enhance in a constructive and realistic manner the prospects for self-government by the Métis people by using the experience, skills and knowledge gained by their particular experience outside of North America and having reviewed the experiences and solutions wrought by indigenous peoples in Europe. While maintaining distinct Métis values and identity the CDM seeks to liaise with government bodies such as Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and the UNPO as the representative of the Métis people temporarily or permanently outside of North America.
[edit] See also
- Métis people
- Aboriginal peoples in Canada
- UNPO
- Canadian European Council
- Michael Sletcher, ‘The Métis', in Will Kaufman and Heidi Macpherson, eds., Britain and the Americas: Culture, Politics, and History, (2 vols., Oxford, 2005).
[edit] References
- Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 2006.
- Council of Aboriginal Peoples, 2006.
