HUNTSVILLE, ON, July 21, 2025 /CNW/ – Today, Métis National Council (MNC) President Victoria Pruden met with Premiers and other Regional and National Indigenous Leaders at the Council of the Federation meeting, where Premiers unanimously supported Indigenous inclusion in First Ministers Meetings (FMMs).
President Pruden spoke alongside leaders of Indigenous organizations to advance Métis priorities on economic development. President Pruden noted that discussions about economic reconciliation and major projects directly affect the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples, emphasizing the need for Indigenous representation at First Ministers’ Meetings.
“For true economic reconciliation to take place, Métis governments must be equal partners at the table,” said President Pruden. “We need to move beyond a side meeting to nation-to-nation, government-to-government discussions with the Premiers.”
During the meeting, President Pruden provided key findings from the Status of the Métis Economy Report, released in June 2025. The report highlighted how Métis businesses generated over $25 billion in revenue in 2020, driven by strong labour force participation and growing educational attainment rates, particularly in the skilled trades.
While celebrating these successes, she also addressed the persistent socio-economic gaps and the urgent need for targeted, distinctions-based measures to ensure equitable participation in major projects. President Pruden reiterated that free, prior, and informed consent and meaningful consultation are non-negotiable for advancing shared prosperity without undermining Métis rights, governance, or the environment.
President Pruden looks forward to renewed partnerships between the Métis Nation and Canada’s Premiers, working together to strengthen Indigenous economies, improve procurement opportunities, and advance a distinctions-based approach to economic resilience and reconciliation.
Since 1983, the Métis National Council has been the national and international voice of the Métis Nation within Canada. Through national research and policy development, the MNC advocates to advance the rights and interests of Métis Governments, including the implementation of the Métis Nation’s inherent right to self-determination and self-government. The MNC is committed to accountability and transparency within its operations, and to its relationships with its Governing Members and other partners.
SOURCE Métis National Council
