On February 24, 2023, Métis Nation-Saskatchewan and Canada signed an updated Métis Nation-Saskatchewan Self-government Recognition and Implementation Agreement. This updated Agreement is an important milestone in ongoing work to promote reconciliation, advance the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan's vision for self-determination, and build a stronger nation-to-nation, government-to-government relationship.
The Métis Nation-Saskatchewan Self-Government Recognition and Implementation Agreement is the result of ongoing Recognition of Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination negotiations between Canada and the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan. Advancing the formal recognition of Métis self-government was a priority identified in the Framework Agreement for Advancing Reconciliation signed by Canada and the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan in 2018.
The parties first signed a negotiated self-government agreement in June 2019 that set out a distinct path for moving together toward self-government. It was one of the first self-government agreements reached with Métis in Canada and recognized a Métis right to self-government.
New self-government arrangements
The updated Métis Nation-Saskatchewan Self-government Recognition and Implementation Agreement (the "Agreement") builds on this earlier progress and sets out an updated roadmap for moving forward together. This includes federal recognition of the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan's jurisdiction over governance and a new commitment to negotiate a subsequent core governance treaty.
The new Agreement incorporates these additional key elements to provide greater clarity, align with current federal approaches to reconciliation, and further advance the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan's vision for self-government in a way that better meets their distinct circumstances, goals, and priorities.
The updated Agreement: an overview
The Métis Nation-Saskatchewan Self-government Recognition and Implementation Agreement came into effect upon signing and is now binding on the signatories. Upon signing, Canada affirmed that it formally recognizes that the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan is the representative government of the Métis Nation within Saskatchewan and has jurisdiction over their own core governance matters. This includes their own citizenship, leadership selection, and the operations of their government. In addition, the Agreement includes the commitment to negotiate a core governance treaty with the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan as part of the work toward a more formal recognition of this jurisdiction in federal law.
