Métis get free entry to historic sites
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/10/2020 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Métis folks with an historical curiosity can now visit two Manitoba national historic sites free of charge.
Lower Fort Garry and Riel House are now a part of the Indigenous Peoples Open Doors program thanks to an agreement signed between the Manitoba Metis Federation and Parks Canada.
“Free entry into Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site and Riel House National Historic Site creates an exciting opportunity for our Manitoba Métis citizens to visit and reconnect with two of Canada’s spectacular national historic sites,” stated the federation’s natural resources minister, Leah LaPlante.
“This program will provide visitors the opportunity to learn about the history behind the creation of the Métis Nation, the founding of Manitoba and the role of Louis Riel and the provisional government.”
According to the Parks Canada website, the department is proud of its Indigenous Peoples Open Doors program, “which seeks to enhance relationships with Indigenous peoples by providing free access to national parks or national historic sites with which they feel a connection without undue requirements for purchasing passes or permits.”
The federation joins the more than 300 other Indigenous groups across Canada in partnering with the federal government to conserve natural and cultural heritage spaces.
“The Manitoba Metis Federation shares in the traditional connection that Métis people of Manitoba have with the lands and waters comprising Lower Fort Garry and Riel House national historic sites,” the department stated.
Manitoba Métis are asked to present their federation citizenship or harvester card to gain entry.
This new agreement does not expire, according to the release.
“These agreements represent tangible components of Parks Canada’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and the Government of Canada,” stated Jonathan Wilkinson, the federal minister responsible for Parks Canada.
Federation president David Chartrand also weighed in.
“The Manitoba Métis were Canada’s negotiating partner in Confederation and the founders of the Province of Manitoba. The Métis government recognizes the historical significance and connection these sites have to the creation of the Métis Nation, Manitoba and Canada, and the MMF contributes to the staffing and programming of Riel House National Historic Site,” he said.
» mletourneau@brandonsun.com
» Michele LeTourneau covers Indigenous matters for The Brandon Sun under the Local Journalism Initiative, a federally funded program that supports the creation of original civic journalism.