Nova Métis Heritage Association is starting an exciting and inspiring new chapter, with an aspiration to renew our Purpose, Mission, and Focus, on creating a Métis cultural repository and be a heritage for cultural expression of the Métis. A community to preserve the past, and build awareness and organize events celebrating Métis culture for the present and future Métis generations to explore and enjoy. Nova Métis aspires towards a renewal of its foundation, to honour Ken and Joyce Fisher, and other prominent members, with their hoped vision to bring alive Métis culture and share its cherished and distinct ways.

In 2005, Nova Métis signed a “Community Governance Charter”, a charter agreement with MNBC, to build and support the budding and growing Métis communities in Surrey and BC, and help foster a Métis self governance. On October 23, 2021, MNBC through its Regional Governing Council in Region 2, resolved to discontinue the charter agreement with Nova Métis. After much deliberation within the Nova Métis Board, we decided to counter this decision and call the question as a Resolution to our members at our November 28, AGM, in summary: Does Nova Métis work to concede to the opinion of the MNBC RGC, or take this opportunity to renew and rebuild its Purpose, Mission, and Focus? The Resolution passed, to discontinue the charter agreement with MNBC.

The Nova Métis board did not enter into any of this lightly nor without due consideration and fiduciary responsibility of Nova Métis members. This effectively disengages Nova Métis as a direct member of the governance framework within MNBC, and the Nova Métis President or Vice President no longer have a seat at the MNBC MNGA.

For Nova Métis members, we have tried to summarize the effect this will have in a list of possible questions and answers, a FAQ (link). Nova Métis members who are also MNBC citizens, remain MNBC citizens. As Nova Métis will no longer be a “chartered community”, MNBC will reassign those citizens to their new Region 2 chartered community within Surrey and Delta, for the MNBC governance.

Nova Métis is embarking on a renewed beginning, and with a renewed Purpose, Mission, and Focus, we ask You, what can and should Nova Métis offer its members and the Métis community?