Niagara Region Metis Council

Mix AGA business with pleasure as we celebrate culture and creativity at the upcoming MNO AGA in Penetanguishine!

From admiring the artistry of the Kooshkopayiw Métis Art Council Exhibit to browsing for Métis mementos at the rebranded vendor fair, the upcoming MNO AGA has plenty to offer! Questions about citizenship? Our MNO Registry team is on site and happy to chat!

We look forward to greeting you and your families at the 31st MNO AGA, commencing with the President’s Welcome and Canoe Arrival on August 15, 2024! See you soon!

You are invited to Regional 9’s Meet and Greet at the AGA. Everyone from Region 9 is welcome!

Great ready for some trivia time! You are invited to join MNO’s Lauren Curtas for some fun and prizes! Details are on the poster below! To register please contact Lauren. Marsii!

A reminder, if you haven’t already done so, to vote in the current election for representatives for MNO’s Women’s Council. See more details below.

Métis Nation of Ontario Council Election Announcement:
METIS NATION OF ONTARIO WOMEN’S COUNCIL ELECTION DATES:

AUGUST 7, 2024 TO AUGUST 14, 2024
Consistent with the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Women’s Council’s terms of reference, an election has been called for positions on the MNOWC. The MNOWC has determined this election will be hosted with online digital and telephone voting with OneFeather.

Digital Online Voting:
August 7, 2024, at 1 PM (EST) until August 14, 2024, at 7 PM (EST).
Telephone Voting 2 days only:
August 7, 2024, OR August 14, 2024, between 3 to 7 PM (EST).

Ten (10) Positions on the Council include:
MNOWC President
Region 1 Women’s Rep
Region 2 Women’s Rep
Region 3 Women’s Rep
Region 4 Women’s Rep
Region 5 Women’s Rep
Region 6 Women’s Rep
Region 7 Women’s Rep
Region 8 Women’s Rep
Region 9 Women’s Rep

Voting Instructions:
Please make sure you have created and activated your OneFeather account.

Visit https://www.onefeather.ca/nations/mno and follow the instructions provided to access the voting event. When signing into OneFeather, please use the email address on file with the MNO Registry. Only one voter PIN per email address can be used. If you are having issues with your OneFeather account, do not have your own email address, or need assistance to vote, please get in touch with OneFeather: Toll-Free at 1-855-923-3006 or email [email protected]
How to Vote Instructions – Step by Step Poster is available online.
Note: All times shown are in Eastern Standard Time
For more election information, contact:
Paul Devillers, Chief Electoral Officer
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 1-800-263-4889, Extension 344

Greetings MNO Citizens! We are excited to remind about the upcoming MNO Self-Government Information Sessions, the next being on 7th August at 6pm.

Check out our schedule for Self-Government Wednesdays and Les jeudi de l'Autonomie Gouvernementale, and register at https://www.metisnation.org/governance/self-government/. Note that each of these information sessions will cover the same content. So, you can pick the date, time and language that best suit you.

Join us as we delve into the details of the journey ahead.

There's much to accomplish, and together, we'll make history!
Email us at [email protected]

Are you ready for the Urban Portage Challenge this year? You're invited to join Lauren Curtas for this year's UPC! Let's get active together! Register by August 31st. The Challenge begins September 3rd! Contact Lauren to register. Maarsii! Let's get stepping!

Thank you to the St. Catharines Diocese for providing funding to include our older youth in our Métis Family Camp that we held in June. Our youth are grateful for the camping supplies and for the cultural project (beadwork and leather bag) that they began making together during this camp. ❤️

“Marci!” to the Métis Council for warmly welcoming three members of our Diocesan Indigenous Reconciliation Fund working group to the Métis Family Camp. We had a great time experiencing the sights, smells, textures and stories of the Métis culture in a relaxing and beautiful location.

This week, our Diocese is releasing a Request for Proposals for Indigenous groups to receive funding for reconciliation projects. A Q&A information session will be held the first week of August; those interested can reach out to [email protected]. Please spread the word with our local Indigenous brothers and sisters!

You’re invited to the Métis Kitchen Party at AGA 2024!

Join us for a night of music, card games, and fun on Saturday, August 17, from 7-9 PM est. It’s the perfect way to celebrate culture and community together!

See you there!

Join Lauren Curtas for some outdoor fun at Linpake Park in St. Catharines. See the poster for more details and email Lauren to sign-up!

Get ready for Self-Government Engagement! For you to receive Self-Government information, your contact info needs to be up-to-date in MNO Registry. Moved recently? Got a new phone number or e-mail? Is your e-mail going to another family member? Let’s keep in touch!

Update your info https://www.metisnation.org/registry/update-your-information/ or email at [email protected]

Join Lauren Curtas for some virtual rock painting. See the poster for details!

Exciting news, MNO Citizens! Our engagement journey towards Self-Government launches July 17th at 6:00 pm! Your voice is crucial in shaping our shared future!

Stay informed through our mail or e-mail updates, information sessions and events, social media, or by visiting MNO and regional websites.

You can share your thoughts through a survey, mail-in responses, e-mail, social media, a virtual art wall, evaluations, and more! Together, we will build a better world for many generations to come!

Check out our schedule for information sessions at Self-Government Wednesdays, and register HERE [ https://www.metisnation.org/governance/self-government/ ]. Note that each of these information sessions will cover the same content. So, you can pick the date that best suits you.

Email us at [email protected] for any comments, ideas or feedback.

Hi! Jiggy here, your go-to guide for all things Métis Self-Government! Join me and the MNO in Summer 2024 as we dive into information sessions on self-government. Keep an eye out for our session schedule! We look forward to seeing you as we exchange ideas and find out what self-government means to you!

To learn more about Métis Self-Government visit our webpage at: https://www.metisnation.org/governance/self-government/? or contact us at [email protected]

Hello!

We are reaching out on behalf of the Tiny Tribune, a triannual newsletter that is put together for MNO Families of early learners! [ https://www.metisnation.org/programs-and-services/education-training/early-learning-and-child-care/tiny-tribune-newsletter/ ]

We have a classified page and want to feature any family-focused events that your council may be holding between August and November, 2024.

The following information is needed:
Name of event & council name
Who is for
When (Time/Date)
Where (address/virtual)
Who to contact for more information

Please note: the deadline to submit your events is Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024.

If you have any events to submit or questions regarding the Tiny Tribune, please email [email protected]

Tiny Tribune Newsletter - Métis Nation of Ontario To read our virtual Early Learning Newsletter the Tiny Tribune, click here!

Storytelling has always been important to Métis culture, and today Métis voices are reclaiming their narrative power. MNO citizen-author Pat Lamondin Skene, rooted in the Georgian Bay Métis community, draws from her childhood along the Magnetawan River for her new children’s book, ‘Lights Along the River’. Her other new publication, a memoir called ‘Swiftly Flowing Waters’ was released in May 2024. Pat recently spoke with the MNO about her personal journey and finding her voice as a writer. bit.ly/3VJwO21

From June 29 to July 7, Canadian residents can fish for free!

Grab a rod, gather your family or friends and head out to a river or lake in Ontario to enjoy this great pastime.

Whether you live in an urban or a rural area, there’s a fishing adventure waiting for you.

Those who fish for free during free fishing periods must follow conservation licence catch limits and other rules found at ontario.ca/FishingRegulations

https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1004767/ontario-celebrating-canada-day-with-free-fishing

MNO parents and caregivers, join us for an online Pre and Postnatal Nutrition workshop on August 8th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (EST). Host Kristine Kopechanski is a registered dietitian and will be discussing pre/postnatal nutrition and child and infant nutrition.
Please register for the session using the following Zoom link: https://bit.ly/3KWEHfw

Did you know? Many of Ontario’s waterways were important historical trade routes along which distinct Métis communities emerged? These distinct Indigenous communities formed through the continuous blending of First Nations and European cultures over the span of centuries. Learn more about this rich history at: www.ontariometisfacts.com

You are invited to join Lauren Curtas with MNO's Métis Family Wellbeing Program for a Youth Art Social: Decision Making and Problem Solving on July 3rd from 2-4pm at the MNO Thorold Office.

Please see the poster for more information. To register, please contact Lauren at [email protected]

The deadline to apply for the Indigenous Internship Program (IIP) is June 27 at 11:59 PM EDT! 📅

Make an impact and help move Ontario forward by using your unique knowledge, experiences and perspectives to influence key government policies and programs.

Apply today: ontario.ca/IIP

Did you know? Brightly coloured sashes are worn by Métis people to show their Métis pride? Today, there are dozens of unique Métis sash designs. Each has its own meaning and significance. Learn more about this rich history at: www.ontariometisfacts.com

This past weekend we hosted our Annual Métis Family Camp at Balls Falls Conservation Authority. Thank you to all the new and returning families that joined us!

Our families learned more about the Métis Way of Life and Métis traditions. They set up their own family campsite, and spent the day immersed in Métis cultural activities! Families moved and learned together through hands-on activities and they ended their day with a traditional Métis campfire!

This camp was funded by MNO's Early Learning and Child Care Program. This year we were able to include our older youth! Supplies and programming for older youth (13-17) was provided through the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund through a grant with the Catholic Diocese of St. Catharines. Maarsii.

Photos from Gathering of the Good Minds yesterday

President Derrick Pont, Senator Jean-Jacque Séguin and Councillor Robert Barber were grateful to join this important event and strengthen relationships within our Indigenous communities. ❤️

Jigging Jimmy – Jigging around Metis communities

Ontario Métis communities have a rich history with jigging, dating back generations.

A celebrated fiddler, Jimmy Swain from Northwestern Ontario with deep ties to the western James Bay region, was a talented man, immensely proud of his Métis community and culture.

Serving as the Métis head guide of the 1905 Treaty 9 expedition in the Abitibi Inland and regions, Jimmy knew his way around the Bay and especially, the fiddle! His spirited performances would earn him the respect of all attending community gatherings; entertaining and uniting Métis, First Nations, and European settlers alike through song and dance.

For a brief history of jigging and Jimmy Swain online see: https://www.ontariometisfacts.com/post/jigging-across-metis-communities

It’s National Indigenous People’s Day!

Message from MNO President Margaret Froh on National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21, 2024

Please see the attached invitation from Niagara College for an upcoming Early Childhood Education Diploma Information Session that will be hosted at the Fort Erie Friendship Centre on Tuesday, April 23rd.

Questions can be directed to Sandra Mandamin, (Indigenous Education & Transition Coordinator) at: [email protected]