Gerald Morin facts for kids

Gerald Morin was born in 1961 in Green Lake, Saskatchewan. He is a Métis leader and politician. He has held important roles in Métis governments. These include being president of the Métis National Council. He also served as president and vice president for the Métis Nation—Saskatchewan.

Morin is known for his knowledge of Métis history and how their governments work. He believes the Métis formed their own nation long ago. This happened when Louis Riel created a government during the Red River Rebellion. Morin has worked hard to get the Métis' right to govern themselves recognized. He says this right is something the Métis already have. It is not something that needs to be given to them by the government.

Leading the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan

Gerald Morin first became involved in Métis politics in 1989. He was elected as the Secretary of the Métis Society of Saskatchewan. This group later changed its name to the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan. From 1992 to 1995, Morin served as its first president.

During his time as president, Morin worked on several key issues. He helped the Métis Nation—Saskatchewan start a land claim. This claim was for land in Northwest Saskatchewan. He also worked to bring back Métis harvesting rights. He wanted to create a land base for Métis people in Saskatchewan.

Working on the Charlottetown Accord

For the first eight months of his presidency, Morin was part of big talks. These talks were about recognizing Métis rights in the Charlottetown Accord. This included the right to self-government. The Métis Nation Accord was agreed upon during these talks. It was included in the Charlottetown Accord. This agreement showed that all Canadian governments recognized the Métis' right to govern themselves. However, Canadians voted against the Charlottetown Accord in 1992.

Declaring Self-Government and a Constitution

In October 1992, the Métis Society of Saskatchewan formed a special committee. This committee worked on self-government and how the Métis government would be set up. It had eight members from different parts of the Métis government. These included the Elders' Senate and youth and women's committees.

The committee held many meetings and workshops. In June 1993, the Métis Society of Saskatchewan signed an agreement with the Government of Saskatchewan. This agreement later included the Government of Canada. Morin then wrote a constitution for the Métis Nation. It was approved in December 1993. With this new constitution, the Métis people of Saskatchewan declared themselves self-governing. The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan became their democratic government.

Northwest Saskatchewan Land Claim

On March 1, 1994, the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan filed a large land claim. This claim was made in a court in Saskatoon. It covered a huge area of 145,000 square kilometers. The claim asked for ownership and control over the land and its resources. It also asked for money because the Métis had been kept from using the land. This land claim was a test case for Saskatchewan. The goal was to make more land claims across the province.

Métis Harvesting Rights

In January 1994, a court in Manitoba ruled in favor of two Métis men. They had been charged with hunting a moose out of season. The court said they were allowed to hunt because it was their Aboriginal right. After this, the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan held a news conference. Morin stated that Métis in Saskatchewan felt they had the right to hunt. They were ready to use this right.

The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan gave the governments six months. This time was for them to work together on a hunting agreement. At the same time, the Métis Wildlife and Conservation Act was being written. This act was approved by the Métis Nation Legislative Assembly in July 1994.

Leading the Métis National Council

Morin was elected president of the Métis National Council in 1992. He served in this role until 2003. As president, Morin worked to build strong government structures. He also worked to promote the interests of the Métis Nation across Canada. His leadership helped guide the Métis Nation's goals. It also shaped their relationship with the Canadian government.

Moving the Métis National Council Office

The Métis National Council office first started in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in 1983. In 1993, the office moved to Ottawa, ON. This move helped the Council focus better on national issues. Being close to Parliament and federal offices helped them make changes at a national level.

The Métis Nation Agenda

During his time as president, Morin pushed for the Métis Nation Agenda. This plan had four main goals:

• Properly recognizing Louis Riel and the Métis Nation in Canada.
• Creating a plan for Métis rights.
• Defining and registering Métis citizens across the country.
• Making Métis self-government stronger.

Recognizing Louis Riel and the Métis Nation Louis Riel is a very important figure to the Métis people. They see him as a leader who fought for their rights and land. The Métis National Council wanted Riel to be properly recognized. This was a key step for future talks with Canada. It was also important for reconciliation. This included honoring Riel's vision for the Métis people. It also meant recognizing the Métis Nation's contributions to Canada.

A Métis Rights Strategy For a long time, governments believed Métis people did not have rights to land or resources. The Métis National Council said that Métis have Aboriginal rights. These rights are recognized in Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. The Council worked to challenge unfair treatment by governments. They aimed to start talks with the Government of Canada. They also planned to use legal action to support their rights.

Defining and Registering Métis Citizens In September 2002, the Métis National Council approved a national definition of Métis. This definition was then adopted by the five main Métis governments. The Council also wanted to count all Métis people in Canada. They aimed to create a national registry of Métis citizens. This registry would use national standards to check who is a Métis citizen.

Strengthening Métis Self-Government The Métis Nation Agenda also aimed to make Métis self-government stronger. This meant improving Métis governments at all levels. It included finding areas where Métis people needed more support. The goal was to build strong Métis governance.

The Powley Case

The R. v. Powley case was very important for Métis people. It helped recognize their Aboriginal harvesting rights. The Métis National Council supported this legal case. They joined the case to make sure the Métis Nation's voice was heard.

National Constitution and Voting Rights

In 2001, Morin had a vision for the Métis National Council. He wanted it to become a national government for all Métis. He planned to consult with Métis citizens about a Métis Nation Constitution. He also wanted to make voting more democratic. His goal was to have a national election for the President of the Métis National Council by 2004. This would allow every Métis citizen to vote.

Serving as Vice President of Métis Nation—Saskatchewan

Morin returned to Métis politics in Saskatchewan in 2012. He was elected Vice President of the Métis Nation—Saskatchewan. He served under President Robert Doucette. In 2017, he was re-elected as vice president. This time he served under President Glen McCallum. During his second term, Morin became the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Governance. He also served as the Minister of Justice.

Working for Self-Government

As vice president, Morin continued to work for Métis rights. A big part of this was advancing self-government. He signed several important agreements. These included the Canada-Metis Nation Accord. These agreements set up a way for Canada and the Métis Nation to talk. They discuss Métis rights, old claims, and getting resources for programs. They also work on recognizing Métis self-government.

Changing the Constitution

In April 2019, Morin suggested a change to the Métis Nation—Saskatchewan Constitution. He was the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Governance. The Métis Nation Legislative Assembly approved his idea. He then led a team to review and update the Constitution in 2019. This involved talking to Métis citizens across the province.

Creating a Judicial Tribunal

As part of the constitutional changes, work began on a judicial tribunal. This would be like a court system for the Métis Nation—Saskatchewan. In the original 1993 Constitution, the Senate was meant to be the judicial part of the government. But this role was removed in 2008. As Minister of Justice, Morin oversaw the process to set up this new judicial tribunal.

Personal Life

Gerald Morin earned a law degree in 1987. He studied at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

He has three daughters named Crystal, Roberta, and Chayla. He also has five grandchildren: Shataya, Dakota, CJ, Kayden, and Ryan. He is the son of Bella Kennedy and the grandson of Leon Morin. He grew up in Green Lake, Saskatchewan. He has two dogs, Bapie and Bella.

See also

• Métis
• Métis Nation—Saskatchewan
• Métis National Council
• Métis Nation of Ontario
• Manitoba Métis Federation
• Métis Nation of Alberta
• Métis Nation British Columbia