BC Métis Federation

09/03/2026

At the end of February, the federal government has formally recognized the Aboriginal rights of the North Slave Métis Alliance under section 35 of the Constitution Act. The announcement “confirms the legitimacy of our community,” said Alan Harman Jr, the vice-president of the North Slave Métis Alliance, at a press conference in downtown Yellowknife.

Harman said this was “the beginning of a new chapter” advancing shared priorities like protecting land and water, strengthening culture, and creating opportunities for youth.

Read more on the Cabin Radio website. You can find the link at https://bio.site/bcmetis

08/03/2026

The Audible Indigenous Writers’ Circle is a six-month online and in person mentorship and workshop program for emerging First Nations, Inuit and writers in Canada looking to elevate their stories. Applications are now open for the summer 2026 program which commences on June 1st. Each selected emerging writer is eligible for a $ 1,500 bursary to support their participation, and there is no cost to participate in the program.

Applications close on Monday, April 13. Check the program page to meet the mentors and to learn more about the program (there is a great video too): https://www.audible.ca/ep/IWC

08/03/2026

Renowned Métis beader Jennine Krauchi has a new exhibition with David Heinrichs at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. Totled "Life Ties", the exhbition features various pieces ranging from worn pieces like scarves and vests line as well as traditional accessories such as fire bags.

“There were so many years where [beadwork] was held in dresser drawers or out of sight,” Krauchi shares, explaining that racism was a driving factor in this cultural shame. “Two things that our culture lost [were] their language and their beadwork, because that identified them right away. And if they could deny, they would, to make it easier for themselves and easier for their children that were growing up.”

The Classic 107 website has more detail as well as an interview with Jennine Krauchi. If you are interested in beating, then you won't want to miss it. You can find the link at https://bio.site/bcmetis

07/03/2026

If you are looking for some ribbon skirt or entrepreneurship inspiration, check out a recent article about Danielle Patenaude's new store in Lac La Biche. The business is named "Métis Matriarch" and it specializes in selling Indigenous fabrics, quilting products, along with retail items such as clothing and signage in the Cree language.

When choosing the name of her business, Patenaude looked at it as a way to pay tribute to the women who came before her, specifically her late Kokum, Lydia Cardinal. “She was the matriarch in our family, and she loved sewing,” Patenaude says, explaining that a major reason for starting the business was to create a space for other Indigenous artists.

Read more on the LakelandToday website. You can find the link at https://bio.site/bcmetis

07/03/2026

If you are in Vancouver, make sure you stop to by Robson Plaza before March 9 to check out the "Riding the Wind with Mother Earth" Lunar New Year Lantern exhibition. The Asian-Canadian Special Events Association included a painting by Regina-based Métis artist Phyllis Poitras-Jarrett's in the exhibition welcoming the Year of the Horse.

Her painting "Riding the Wind with Mother Earth" features nine beaded horses along with a horse-drawn carriage making their way across a sunny landscape.

“The 2026 Lunar Year of the Horse embodies energy, independence, and the strength to brave challenges,” Poitras-Jarrett notes on the website. “These were all qualities our ancestors needed as they built communities across the windy Prairies.

Read more on the Pancouver website. You can. find the link at https://bio.site/bcmetis

06/03/2026

Métis author Tara Gereaux dedicates her new novel Wild People Quiet to her late grandfather. It's a fitting dedication as main character Florence Banks mirrors the actions of grandfather Clarence: they both hid their identity.

“I really wanted to write this book to understand the circumstances that my grandfather was living in when he was a young man,” said Gereaux. “I don't know exactly when he might have made that decision to live as a white man, but I imagine it was probably when he was just a young man starting out on his own.”

Learn more in a recent Windspeaker article. You can find the link at https://bio.site/bcmetis

04/03/2026

APTN News recently aired a national news segment featuring "A special panel on Métis identity, self government and Métis Nation Ontario controversy". The panel includes Lake Huron Regional Chief for the Anishinabek Nation Scott McLeod, McGill University Associate Professor Celeste Pedri-Spade and the MMF’s Minister of Identity Protection and Inter-Indigenous Relations Will Goodon.

In the segment, Chief McLeod responds to accusations that comments he made led to the bullying of youth in Ontario. Watch the full segment on APTN's YouTube channel:

Tonight on APTN National News: A special panel debate on Métis identity, self government and controversary surrounding Métis Nation of Ontario.Host Dennis Wa...

04/03/2026

A century-old model dog sled, crafted by a Métis artist in the 1920s from leather, wood, and glass beads, has been unveiled after being repatriated from the Vatican. The sled was among 62 Indigenous items returned to Canada last year following decades of advocacy.

At a ceremony held at the Canadian Museum of History, Métis leaders and community members gathered as an Elder smudged the sled and offered it to those present. The Métis National Council is now working to trace the sled's community of origin.

Read the full story in a recent CBC News article. You can find the link at https://bio.site/bcmetis

03/03/2026

This week's Michif-French word of the week is "aen loo" which means "a wolf.

02/03/2026

The Willow Lake Métis Nation Recently welcomed 20 wood bison to its territory. It's the first time in 120 years that there has been bison in the area. About 30 elders and leaders from the community greeted the herd, which was relocated from Elk Island National Park. The herd now lives on a ranch operated by the Métis community near the hamlet of Anzac, about 50 kilometres southeast of Fort McMurray.

Lots of information and a video of the release of the bison is available on the CBC News website, you can find the link at https://bio.site/bcmetis

01/03/2026

Métis Nation-Saskatchewan recently unveiled a new book giving Métis Elders a direct voice in the story of self-determination, marking a milestone in nation-building. The project took almost a decade of work to complete.

“The knowledge really comes from the Elders, to be able to inform our work in a way that makes sense. And that brings a community together. It brings your views into the documents we work on and brings life to them,” said Dorothy Myo, MN-S Senior Director of Policy and Research.

Read more on the SaskToday website. Find the link here at https://bio.site/bcmetis