Historic agreement to see Ste. Madeleine land returned to Manitoba Métis
A historic agreement will be signed Friday afternoon at the site where the Manitoba Métis community of Ste. Madeleine stood before it was burned to the ground in the 1930s by the government.
In an open letter posted on the Manitoba Métis Federation website, president David Chartrand says he will be joined by Premier Wab Kinew to announce “the return of the land that was unjustly taken from our people.”
They will sign of a memorandum of understanding that will kickstart negotiations to transfer approximately 100 acres of Manitoba Crown land to the MMF, the letter says.
Chartrand in the letter calls it “a landmark achievement in our ongoing pursuit of justice and reconciliation.”
A spokesperson from the premier’s office confirmed everything in Chartrand’s letter.
Ste. Madeleine was settled at the turn of the 20th century by Métis homesteaders who had left Manitoba in 1870, fleeing abuse, violence and discrimination they faced after the Red River Resistance. They were later joined by families who had fled to Saskatchewan and later returned to Manitoba following the 1885 North-West Resistance.
Between 1915 and 1935, the community near the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border (just southwest of Binscarth) grew to about 250 people.
The land was mostly scrub pasture, with very sandy soil, and not ideal for farming, so people eked out a living by working as itinerant labourers and farmhands in neighbouring communities, hauled cordwood, trapped furs and gathered and sold Seneca root, which was used to treat various minor ailments.
But in 1935, as the Prairies were hit hard by severe drought and the impacts of the Great Depression, the federal government established the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration.
The mandate of the PFRA was address the environmental and economic crises that had arisen following years of drought and poor farming practices that led to crop failures, soil drifting, farm abandonment and the financial collapse of municipalities.
A decision was also made to convert underused land to community pastures to prevent further soil erosion. In Manitoba, Ste. Madeleine was selected for the pasture program.
Between 1938 and 1942, the community was dismantled through forced displacement of its people. Residents who were paid up on their taxes were given cash payouts or scrip for land elsewhere, but few qualified because of their meagre existence, says the book Ste. Madeleine: Community Without a Town: Metis Elders in Interview, by Ken and Victoria Zeilig.
Those who remained were considered illegal squatters. Their houses were burned, the church was dismantled, dogs were shot.
Ste. Madeleine vanished and in its place was pastureland for European settlers.
All that remains of Ste. Madeleine today are some stone foundations and a cemetery around a mound of grass where the church once stood.
“This tragic part of our history saw a wave of despair and disbelief wash over the Métis of Ste. Madeleine,” Chartrand’s letter says.
“The heart-wrenching cries of children echoed through the air, mingling with the blaze of flames and smoke that consumed all their cherished belongings. The sight of their beloved community transformed into a desolate pasture for grazing cattle filled them with anger and resentment, as their way of life was sacrificed for the profit of others.
“This traumatic experience left the families of Ste. Madeleine homeless and shamed and left an enduring scar on the hearts and minds of the Red River Métis people.”
Friday’s signing of the MOU is “a powerful symbol of the progress we have made towards reconciliation and a brighter future for all Red River Métis people,” Chartrand’s letter says.
The signing will be part of the opening events for the annual Ste. Madeleine Métis Days. The yearly event is held as a time for reflection but also celebration of the Métis people and their culture.
View original article here Source
Xpand No Tie Shoelace System with Elastic Laces One Size Fits All Adult and Kids
$15.99 (as of September 3, 2024 08:27 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Straw for Sports and Travel, BPA-Free, 24-oz, Very, Very Dark
$37.99 (as of September 3, 2024 08:27 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
SHAPERX Bodysuit for Women Tummy Control Shapewear Seamless Sculpting Thong Body Shaper Tank Top
$13.49 (as of September 3, 2024 08:27 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Utopia Bedding Waterproof Mattress Protector Queen Size, Viscose Made from Bamboo Mattress Cover 200 GSM, Fits 17 Inches Deep, Breathable, Fitted Style with Stretchable Pockets
$33.99 (as of September 3, 2024 08:27 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Utopia Bedding Queen Bed Sheets Set - 4 Piece Bedding - Soft Brushed Microfiber Fabric - Shrinkage & Fade Resistant - Easy Care (Grey)
$26.99 (as of September 3, 2024 08:27 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Botanic Hearth 100% Pure Rosemary Oil For Hair Growth Infused With Biotin (6.7 fl oz) | Hair strengthening Treatment | Nourishing & Volumizing | With Jojoba Oil & Castor Oil | Non GMO Verified
$17.98 (as of September 3, 2024 08:27 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
GUM Advanced Care Flosser Picks, Infused with Vitamin E & Fluroide, Fresh Mint Flavour, Blue, 150 Flossers (1 Bag)
$5.99 (as of September 3, 2024 08:27 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Tumbler with Lid and Straw for Water, Iced Tea or Coffee, Smoothie and More, Rose Quartz 2.0, 30 OZ / 0.89 L
$46.00 (as of September 3, 2024 08:27 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Hanes Men’s Ribbed Tank
$20.97 (as of September 3, 2024 08:27 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)