Métis Nation-Saskatchewan President Glen McCallum says it is not because of other provinces that the Métis Nation is withdrawing support of Bill C53.

The bill was legislation before the federal government for a self-governance treaty between Ottawa and Métis Nations in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.

MN-S President McCallum released a statement Wednesday afternoon announcing the MN-S was withdrawing its support of the legislation.

McCallum held a press conference with reporters on Thursday morning to discuss the decision.

Despite opposition to the bill from First Nations in Ontario and some legal concerns in Alberta, MN-S President Glen McCallum says that is not the reason they withdrew support.

“It’s not because of other provinces, it’s because of us, in regards to what our interests are in working with governments and creating our own governance structure here in Saskatchewan,” said McCallum.

McCallum says each province will have different issues to bring to the federal government in treaty and he wants to ensure Métis people in Saskatchewan have the best representation.

In the meantime, Métis Nations in Alberta and Ontario say they will continue moving forward with Bill C53 without the support of the MN-S.

McCallum was asked directly if he thinks the bill is dead without support of the MN-S.

“That’s for the government to call, that’s not my position to say,” McCallum said adding he is confident in the decision the MN-S has made.

Meanwhile, the Métis Nation will now begin tabling its own self-governance treaty with the government – something McCallum says they hope to start introducing into legislation next year.

(Top Photo: MN-S President Glen MCCallum speaks with reporters about the decision to withdraw support from Bill C-53. Photo by Joel Willick.)

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