MNBC 2023-2024 Budget Submission Outcome

For a third year in a row, Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) submitted a formal budget submission request to the Province of British Columbia via the BC Legislature’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. The 2023/2024 budget request asks for $82.4 million to support Métis specific programs and services.

Our Interim Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Minister, Colette Trudeau, presented to the committee; it was one of the 206 presentations the committee heard before the final report was released on August 12^th. You can hear the presentation here. The summary of its consultation for the February 2023 Provincial Budget includes 216 recommendations. “Métis” is mentioned in the report 11 times and supports the strategic value of MNBC’s new request. Furthermore, the report recognized the recommendations made by Jelly Marketing (a Métis-owned business). Of note for MNBC is the following recommendation by the committee, “Provide funding to the Métis Nation BC for governance and to ensure that the Métis culture is recognized, respected, and protected in the distinction-based approach.”You can read MNBC’s budget submission here, and the BC Legislature Finance Committee report here.

Examples of unique challenges facing Métis people in BC right now are:

Métis Governance: Without the proper funding, MNBC cannot facilitate core governance activities to reach its Citizen mandate of becoming a self-governing Nation.

Cultural Protection and Strategic Programming: Despite representing approximately one-third of the Indigenous population in B.C., Métis people in B.C. have been largely overlooked and, therefore, their economic and social needs have been underfunded.

Reconciliation Engagement: MNBC lacks the core human resource capacity to participate fully and meaningfully in many important processes that engage in the development of distinctions-based legislation to bring laws and policies into alignment with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action(DRIPA).

Within the 84.2 million budget submission are specific requestion allocations for Métis government ministry goals and priorities, including, but not limited to:

Métis Governance: Having sufficient resources for the operation of MNBC broadly, and our Board of Directors and Chartered Communities specifically. Core governance activities requiring funding include Métis Nation Governing Assemblies and the Annual General Meeting, plus administration of the MNBC Senate, Métis Women BC, Métis Youth BC, and Métis Veterans BC.

Cultural Protection and Strategic Programming: Ensuring Métis culture is recognized, respected, and protected in a distinctions-based manner in respect of the DRIPA. Strategic priorities include:

• Children and families
• Citizenship
• Cultural protection
• Economic Development
• Education
• Health
• Housing and Homelessness
• Sport
• Women and gender equity

Reconciliation Engagement: Funding that will facilitates policy engagement across all MNBC ministries and committees.

Reflecting on the upcoming budget, MNBC will continue the efforts to ensure sustainability of the Nation by revitalizing our culture, including the Michif language. We strive to build a healthy and vibrant Métis Nation for the 90,000 self-identified Métis people we represent.

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