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Metis nation worthy of celebration

The Metis nation represents the union of the European colonists and the First Nations people and that’s worth celebrating, said the Thunder Bay president of the Metis Nation of Ontario.
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(Jeff Labine, tbnewswatch.com)
The Metis nation represents the union of the European colonists and the First Nations people and that’s worth celebrating, said the Thunder Bay president of the Metis Nation of Ontario.

Members of the National Aboriginal Day committee announced this year’s event theme at a news conference on Wednesday. Called year of the Metis nation, the committee chose to highlight the heritage and accomplishments of the Metis nation.

Wendy Landry, Thunder Bay president of the Metis Nation of Ontario, said that most Canadians have a connection to the Metis nation unless both parents are immigrants to Canada.

"Canada is a Metis country," Landry said. "Unless you’re a direct descendant of another country like Italy, chances are very good that you are part of the Metis ancestry. A lot of people might have Metis ancestry in them because that’s what Canada is."

Landry said one of the biggest accomplishments for the Metis was the developing relationship between them and the First Nation communities to work toward unifying Aboriginal people.
She said it’s a reminder that Metis are First Nation people and that people didn’t have to be afraid anymore to identify themselves as such.

The theme also marked the 125th anniversary of the end of the Northwest rebellion in Saskatchewan and the death of Louis Riel in 1885.

"I think it has come full circle where people are proud of their First Nation ancestry."

Aboriginal day is held on June 21 at Chippewa Park.





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