mardi, février 27, 2007

Un jugement de la plus haute Cour de l'Alberta fait avancer d'un autre pas la cause des Métis canadiens — Félicitations et merci !

On me pardonnera cet accroc à ce point de rencontre de la francosphère, mais la nouvelle, sortie le mois dernier, est suffisamment importante pour justifier l'exception. En effet, dans un jugement historique tombé le 22 janvier, la Cour du Banc de la Reine de l'Alberta a décidé de donner raison aux Métis de cette province et de contraindre le gouvernement à prendre des disposition pour protéger leur culture et leurs traditions en vertu du jugement Powley.

Ce jugement était inévitable. Il devrait inciter les Métis des autres provinces, dont ceux de la Communauté Métisse du Domaine du Roy et de la Seigneurie de Mingan, à poursuivre leurs démarches d'affirmation perpétuellement confrontée à l'étroitesse d'esprit d'un gouvernement entêté qui poursuit sa vieille politique de déni mis de l'avant dans une vieille loi éminemment raciste datant du milieu du siècle dernier (à l'année 1851 pour être plus précis). En ce qui concerne justement les Métis de la CMDRSM, j'en profite pour rappeler aux visiteurs et aux habitués de ce blogue consacré aux Métis de la Boréalie, qu'une première rencontre devant les tribunaux du Québec est justement prévue le 5 mars prochain, dans l'affaire controversée de L'Approche commune.

Merci à Ismène Toussaint, de nous avoir fait parvenir cette nouvelle

Russel Bouchard


Kelly Decision in Alberta a Big Win for Metis Nation
Friday, January 26 2007
Winnipeg, Manitoba - This week’s January 22, 2007, Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta decision by Mr. Justice Verville is a victory for the whole of the Metis Nation.

In his judgment, Justice Verville overturned a lower court decision, setting aside the conviction of Mr. Kip Kelly and granting a stay. Alberta Metis Citizens harvesting within the terms of the Interim Metis Harvesting Agreement (IMHA) can rely on the agreement as a defense to charges against them by the Alberta Government.

After reaching agreement with Metis Nation of Alberta, the Alberta Government failed to make the IMHA a part of the regulatory system, leaving the agreement technically unenforceable. Despite this, Mr. Justice Verville stated that a conviction “would shock the conscience of the community and bring the administration of justice into disrepute.” By overturning the conviction and granting a stay, it has become, in effect, enforceable.

In his view the Metis Community was entitled to assume the IMHA was binding on the Crown. Governments must uphold the honour of the Crown and consult and accommodate Metis rights. He agreed that the IMHA was entered into as an attempt to fulfill the Alberta Government’s constitutional obligations and in keeping with the honour of the Crown.

Mr. Justice Verville stated that the Government of Alberta continues to have a “constitutional imperative” to deal with the Powley Decision and the Metis Rights recognized by that decision. Considering Alberta’s knowledge of Metis rights asserted in the province, he made it clear that the Government has a constitutional obligation to accommodate undefined Metis harvesting rights in that province.

“Here in Manitoba, the birthplace of the Metis Nation, our provincial government has not accommodated Metis harvesting rights in any way to reflect the Powley Decision,” explained Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) President David Chartrand. “In fact, Metis continue to be harassed and charged for practicing our culture and feeding our families in our traditional ways. The Manitoba Government also refuses to consult and accommodate the Manitoba Metis Community in natural resource developments.”

“Mr. Justice Verville has indicated that MNA and the Alberta Government are on the right track by coming to a negotiated agreement,” President Chartrand went on to say. “He recognized this type of agreement can avoid the very high costs and heavy burdens the Metis and the courts can incur by having going to trial over and over again to prove our rights. As taxpayers we have to ask why Manitoba wastes our tax dollars by taking the Metis to court.”

Explaining the province-wide nature of the IMHA, Mr. Kelly’s lawyers said the Powley and Blais Decisions did not suggest that Metis rights are geographically more restrictive than other Aboriginal peoples. Based on these earlier cases, Mr. Justice wrote that Metis rights are communal and there is no arbitrary limit on the geographical area which may be encompassed by a harvesting right, and that it is determined by the historical facts rather than the identification of a limited locality.

“This decision clearly has implications here in Manitoba,” said President Chartrand. “It challenges the Manitoba Government’s person-by-person, village-by-village, acre-by-acre approach in the courts to recognize Metis harvesters and Metis harvesting lands.” Historically our Community and our territory extended across the province. This remains true today.”

“This decision indicates that a consultation, negotiation, and partnership approach is needed in the Post-Powley reality,” explained President Chartrand. “The courts are recognizing that the Metis must be partners at the table to accommodate our rights. We welcome working with governments and industry for the benefit of our community and indeed all Manitobans.”

“This decision is a great win not only for Metis Citizens in Alberta but indeed for the Metis Nation across our Homeland,” said President Chartrand. “I want to congratulate Mr. Kelly and the Metis Nation of Alberta on their success. I also want to thank the Metis National Council and our Metis Legal Counsel for their support in bringing justice to our People.”

6 commentaires:

Anonyme a dit...

Il semble que la cause ait été remise au 5 avril.

Richard Harvey

Anonyme a dit...

Il semble que la cause ait été remise au 5 avril.

Richard Harvey

Anonyme a dit...

Il faut sans doute voir là le manque d'arguments de la partie gouvernementale.

Russel Bouchard

Anonyme a dit...

Sans aucun doute. Et ce sans compter sur le présent sujet ( jugement).

C'est un jugement d'une grande importance pour les Métis du Québec. Particulièrement en ce qui concerne le caractère extensif de la notion de territorialité (... « that Metis rights are communal and there is no arbitrary limit on the geographical area which may be encompassed by a harvesting right, and that it is determined by the historical facts rather than the identification of a limited locality….) et de l'appartenance ( “It challenges the Manitoba Government’s person-by-person, village-by-village, acre-by-acre approach ) à la culture métisse.

Très intéressant.

Anonyme a dit...

You write very well.

Anonyme a dit...

Merci beaucoup Asasia. C'est apprécié.

Russel-Aurore Bouchard