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A treaty is a formal agreement between the Crown, as represented by the Government of Canada, and an Indigenous Government. It is a legally binding, nation-to-nation agreement that affirms the rights, responsibilities, and relationships between the Canadian Government and Indigenous nations.

• Our self-government agreement, which was signed in 2023, recognizes that the Métis Nation within Alberta has an inherent right to self-government recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. It recognizes that the Otipemisiwak Métis Government has jurisdiction over its internal and core governance matters, including Citizenship, elections and administration. It also formalizes our Métis government as an Indigenous governing body.
• This agreement has charted a path forward to putting into place an enduring, nation-to-nation, government-to-government relationship with Canada through a modern-day treaty.
• Our Otipemisiwak Treaty will officially recognize our right to self-determination regardless of any extenuating factors, such as a change in political power within the Federal Government.

• Historic treaties, also known as “Numbered Treaties (e.g. Treaty 7),” were signed in the 18^th and 19^th centuries and focused on the transfer of land and resources to the Crown in exchange for certain rights and benefits.
• Modern-day treaties, on the other hand, focus on self-government and the long-term protection of Indigenous rights in a way that reflects the current legal and political environment.
• While historic treaties primarily addressed land and resources, modern-day treaties are more comprehensive, addressing governance, resources, culture, and rights in ways that were not included in older treaties.

Historic treaties

• These treaties focused on the transfer of land and resources to the Crown in exchange for certain rights and benefits, including hunting and fishing provisions and reserve lands.
• These treaties were negotiated through formal treaty-making processes and covered vast territories. They were agreed upon through verbal discussions before being documented in writing.
• Over time, treaty interpretation has been subject to legal debates, with Indigenous communities frequently asserting the agreements were unfairly negotiated or misunderstood.

Modern-day treaties

• Modern-day treaties are negotiated within the current legal and constitutional frameworks of Canada, including the rights set out in the Constitution Act, 1982 and international standards like the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
• These treaties focus on ensuring Indigenous self-government, resource management, cultural preservation, and other social benefits.
• The negotiation process for modern-day treaties is often more collaborative, including representation from Indigenous nations and governments representing the Crown.
• Modern-day treaties in the context of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government are not land or regionally-based and will aim to reconcile Indigenous rights and interests with broader societal interests, promoting self-determination and Indigenous governance.
• While historic treaties laid the foundation for Indigenous-Crown relations in Canada, modern-day treaties reflect the evolution of both Indigenous Nations and Canada.
• The purpose of a modern-day treaty is to affirm the rights of Indigenous peoples, not just to recognize those rights, but to protect them under Canadian law for the long term.

• The 2023 agreement included a commitment to negotiate a self-government treaty between the Métis Nation within Alberta and Canada within two years.
• These agreements are not symbolic – they are the foundation for securing a brighter future for our Citizens, grounded in our inherent and Section 35 rights as Métis.
• Canada has made commitments to reconciliation, and we need to ensure Canada honours those commitments. That’s why we are continuing to negotiate and advance our modern-day Otipemisiwak Treaty.

For too long, our people have been left out and forgotten. Our ancestors were not included in the numbered treaties. Instead, they were forced into the scrip process, a broken, discriminatory system rife with fraud which failed to recognize our rights or protect our Homeland. A modern-day Otipemisiwak Treaty will finally ensure that our self-government is not only recognized but protected under Canada’s constitution.

No. Métis Citizens will still be subject to taxation laws.

Our Constitution, ratified as part of the largest Indigenous ratification vote undertaken in Canadian history, will continue to govern our Otipemisiwak Métis Government.

A modern-day Otipemisiwak Treaty will not change the structure, rules or processes of our Métis Government. Instead, it will finally ensure that our self-government is not only recognized but protected.

• The Otipemisiwak Métis Government continues to negotiate with the federal government on the development of a modern-day Otipemisiwak Treaty.
• We are currently working with the Government of Canada to update our Self-Government agreement and are calling on them to expedite the process so we can move forward toward reaching a modern-day Otipemisiwak Treaty.
• As we progress, consultations will be held with Citizens, and once a draft Otipemisiwak Treaty is initialled it will be brought to Citizens and potentially impacted groups for consultation.
• Following consultations, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government will undertake a province-wide ratification vote on the Otipemisiwak Treaty. All Citizens over 16 years of age will be eligible to vote.
• Once the Otipemisiwak Treaty is ratified, representatives of Canada and the Otipemisiwak Métis Government will sign the ratified treaty. Legislation will then be tabled in the House of Commons to give legal force and effect to the Otipemisiwak Treaty and make it binding on all governments and third parties.
• When dates are determined for each of these steps they will be communicated to Métis Citizens.

• As a result of the 2025 prorogation of Parliament, Bill C-53 ceased to exist as proposed Canadian legislation. A new Bill will need to be introduced per our legally-binding self-government agreement.
• In December 2024, President Sandmaier met with Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree to discuss our ongoing efforts to strengthen our government-to-government relationship with Canada.
• In that meeting, the Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to working with our government to advance Métis self-determination and self-government.
• Our self-government journey is not tied to the outcome of any single piece of legislation, and we will continue to move forward with the formal recognition of our inherent rights to self-determination and self-government through our own modern-day Otipemisiwak Treaty.

Our treaty is not expected to impact Harvesting Rights.

No. There will be no land claims associated with our treaty.

No. Our Constitution clearly defines the role of District Councils and District Captains. Our Otipemisiwak Treaty will recognize the laws laid out in our Constitution and our right to create our own government structures and systems.