President's Corner: February 6, 2026
Posted on: Feb 06, 2026
One of the most common questions I hear from Citizens when I’m out in the community, is about self-government. How is it going? Are we there yet? What does it really mean day to day?
Those are fair questions. And the honest answer is that building our own Métis government is complex work, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t moving forward, it means we are doing the real work of governance, carefully, deliberately, and with our Citizens at the centre of every decision.
Self-government is the steady transition to our new governance structure grounded in our Constitution, shaped by our laws, and guided by the voices of our Citizens. Every election held, regulation developed, and conversation with other governments is part of strengthening that foundation.
We saw that work reflected with the public release of the federal “What We Heard” report following the Métis-Canada Summit I attended in Ottawa last summer. Our government was there intentionally to assert our role as a self-governing Métis government and to bring forward what we have consistently heard from you – that our government must be engaged and consulted early, meaningfully, and with respect when decisions are made about major projects and Canada’s economic future.
The release of this report shows that Métis voices were heard and documented, and that our participation is part of shaping what comes next. Transparency like this is an important part of accountability, both for governments and for the work we do on your behalf.
I encourage you to read the report here: https://www.canada.ca/en/one-canadian-economy/services/building-canada-act-projects-national-interest/indigenous-engagement-consultation/metis-major-projects-summit-what-we-heard-report.html
I know that building something new can feel uncertain at times, but I also know that we are getting stronger every day. We are learning, adjusting, and improving as we go. And we are doing it together.
Thank you for your patience, your questions, and your continued engagement. Self-government only works if our Citizens are part of it and I am grateful every day that you are.