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MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
To establish a foundation for cooperation, coordination, and
collective action to pursue the advancement of the Metis people
of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
BETWEEN

FORT MCKAY METIS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Hereinafter referred to as "The M cKay Metis" and represented by The McKay Metis President
or th eir designate.

AND
METIS NATION OF ALBERTA ASSOCIATION FORT MCMURRAY LOCAL COUNCIL 1935
Hereinafter referred to as "McMurray M etis" and represented by the McMurray Metis President
or their designate.

AND
METIS NATION OF ALBERTA ASSOCIATION LOCAL COUNCIL #125 FORT CHIPEWYAN
Hereinafter referred to as "Fort Chipew yan Metis Local 125" and represented by the Fort
Chipewyan Metis Local 125 President or their designate.

AND
METIS NATION OF ALBERTA ASSOCIATION LOCAL COUNCIL #193 CONKLIN
Hereinafter referred to as "Conklin Metis Local 193" and represented by the Conklin Metis Local
193 President or their designate .

Hereinafter jointly referred to as "Wood Buffalo Metis."

Wood Buffalo Metis

Page 1of8

Introduction
WHEREAS Wood Buffalo Metis are key governing institutions of the Metis people within the
Regional Municipa lity of Wood Buffalo.
WHEREAS Wood Buffalo Metis represent rights-bearing historic and contemporary Metis
communities that meet all the criteria set out by the Supreme Court of Canada in R. v. Powley.
WHEREAS Wood Buffalo Metis form a part of a rights bearing regional community in northeastern
Alberta along the terms outlined in R. v Laviolette.
WHEREAS Wood Buffalo Metis share a vision of a strong Metis Nation embracing Metis rights.
WHEREAS Wood Buffalo Metis share a mission to pursue the advancement of the Metis people of
the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo .
WHEREAS Wood Buffalo Metis sha re the following guiding principles:
1.
A belief in the National definition of Metis;
2.
Building our foundation for future generations;
3.
Fairness and respect for all people;
4.
The need to work in unity and harmony;
Metis participation_in building our communities;
5.
6.
Encouraging and assisting Metis people to achieve their goals.
7.
Honesty, integrity, and professionalism;
8.
Achieving self-government; and
9.
Ensuring Metis rights are asserted and defended as affirmed and recognized in Section 35 of
the Constitution Act, 1982.
WHEREAS Wood Buffalo Metis address business and economic issues in a separate ly governed
Wood Buffalo Metis Corporation.
WHEREAS Wood Buffalo Metis share a desire to cooperate, coordinate, and undertake collective
action to pursue the advancement of Metis people with municipal, provincial, and federal
governments, agencies, regulators, indu stry stakeholders, the courts, and the broader com munity.
Therefore the parties agree as follows:

Purpose
1.

This Memorandum of Understanding establishes the administrative framework that will

facilitate :
a.
Cooperation between the parties with respect to matters of common interest;
b.
Coordination on admin istrative measures with respect to addressing those matters
outlined in the introduction; and

Wood Buffalo Metis

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c.

Collective action by Wood Buffalo Metis where a consensus determines it is deemed

appropriate.

Principles
2.

Wood Buffalo Metis recognizes institutional independence of the parties. Nothing in

this MOU or any of its annexes will be interpreted in a manner that infringes, or could be
reasonably seen to infringe, on institut ional independence. Wood Buffalo Metis wi ll take no
actions that impinge, or could be reasonably seen to impinge, ind ependence of the parties .

3.

Parties to MOU will only speak on behalf of 'Wood Buffalo Metis' when collective action is
authorized by all persons occupying a position of a signatory to this MOU or their designates.

4.

Where appropriate, Wood Buffalo Metis agree to cooperate, coordinate, and/or undertake
collective action on administrative measures regarding:
a.
The enhancement of administrative efficiency, while respecting the principles of
fairness and natural justice;
b.
The sharing and integration of best practices developed within each organization;
c.
The provision of improved and cost-effective services;
d.
The establishment of effective lines of communication; and
e.
The assertion and defence of Metis rights.

5.

No.t hing in this MOU precludes a party, or any combination of the parties, from cooperating,
coordinating, or undertaking co llective action outside the auspices of Wood Buffalo Metis.

Sharing of information
6.

Wood Buffalo Metis agree to share, where appropriate, such information as is required to
effectively cooperate, coordinate, and undertake collective action.

7.

Wood Buffalo Metis recognize that any sharing of information under this MOU must be
carried out in accordance with any applicable legislation or policy requirements.

Communication and consultation

8.

Wood Buffalo Metis re cognizes that regular and timely commun ication and consultation are
key elements in achieving the purposes of this MOU.

9.

Key areas for communication and consultation may include :

a.
Emerging trends, actual and projected workloads, workload priorities, and productivity
issues insofar as these have an impact on Wood Buffalo Metis;
b.
Notification when there are changes in identified resource requirements with respect
to issues of mutual interest or where Wood Buffalo Metis is unable to meet workload
demand;

Wood Buffalo Metis

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c.

d.
10.

Major initiatives, including legislative and regulatory proposals or proposed rule

changes, policy proposals or new administrative procedures, that may have a
meaningful impact on the administrative fun ctioning of Wood Buffalo Metis; and
Issues arising from any cost or service-sharing component of this MOU .

Wood Buffalo Metis will endeavour to communicate and consult as appropriate, especially in
relation to new initiatives or program changes w ith potential impacts to the parties.

Leadership and Operations committee

11.

Wood Buffalo Metis agrees to establish a leadership committee and operations committee
to oversee the elements of this MOU, reso lve significant issues of interpretation or
application arising from thi s MOU, and implement this MOU. Details regarding the
composition of committees and meeting schedules are provided in Appendix A.

12.

A person occupying the position of a signatory to this MOU is an ex-officio member of any
com mittee constituted under this MOU .

Annexes
13.

The Parties agree to negotiate annexes under this MOU w hich will be negotiated and
interpreted in accordance with the principles of this MOU.

14.

Approved annexes w ill be identified in Appendix B, as ame nded from time to time.
Additional subject areas for annexes may be identified in the future.

15.

Where an annex does not specify a consultation process, the consultation process set out in
this MOU will apply to that annex as between the relevant Parties.

16.

The following designated officials for the parties have overall administrative responsibility
for this MOU and its Appendices A and B.
For Conklin Metis Local 193:
Chief Executive Officer
CRDAC
Email : ceocrdac@gma il.com
Phone: 780-742-4552

For The McKay Metis:

Chief Administrative Officer
The McKay Metis
Email : cao@mckaymetis.com
Phone: 780-828-4401

For Fort Chipewyan Metis Local 125:

President
Fort Chipewyan Metis Local 125
Email : fortchipmetis@sis.net
Phone: 780-697-3111

For McMurray Metis:

General Manager
McMurray Metis
Email : gm1935@fortmcmurraymetis.org
Phone: 780-743-2659

Wood Buffalo Metis

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Dispute resolution
17.

Any disagreement with respect to this MOU that ca nnot be resolved through consu ltation
between Wood Buffalo Metis w ill be referred to the Leadersh ip Committee for resolution. If
those officials are not able to resolve the disagreement, it will be resolved by the persons
occupying the positions of the signatories to this MOU .

18.

Where an annex or an ex isting sub-agreement does not specify a dispute resolution process,
the dispute resolution process set out in thi s MOU will apply to that annex or existing subagreement as between the relevant parties.

Financial arrangements
19.

Conklin Metis Local 193, Fort Chipewyan Metis Local 125, The McKay Metis, and McMurray
Metis are responsible for their own costs associated with activities under this MOU, unless
otherwise stated in a specific annex.

Review
20.

Wood Buffalo Metis agree to review this MOU no later than two years from the date on
which the MOU takes effect and every two years thereafter.

Date in effect
21.

This MOU will come into effect on the date on which it is signed by the last of Conklin Metis
Local 193, Fort Chipewyan Metis Local 125, The McKay Metis, and McMurray Metis and will
remain in effect until it is terminated in accordance with the procedure set out in this MOU.

22.

It is understood that the signatories to this MOU will have the authorization of their
respective Board or Local Council in the form of a board or local council motion accepting
this MOU.

Amendment
23.

This MOU may be amended at any time, by mutual consent of Wood Buffalo Metis, through
an exchange of correspondence between the persons occupying the positions of the
signatories to this MOU.

24.

Where an annex or an existing sub-agreement does not specify an amending process, the
process set out in this MOU will apply to that annex or existing sub-agreement as between
Wood Buffalo Metis.

Wood Buffalo Metis

Page 5of8

Termination
25.

This MOU may be terminated by mutual consent of the parties, through an exchange of
correspondence between the persons occupying the positions of the signatories to
this MOU.

26.

Conklin Metis Local 193, Fort Chipewyan Metis Local 125, The McKay Metis, or McMurray
Metis may terminate their participation in this MOU by providing 90 days written notice to
the other parties. Such notice will include a Board or Local Council motion authorizing the
person occupying the position of a signatory to this MOU to terminate their participation .

27.

If Conklin Metis Local 193, Fort Chipewyan Metis Local 125, The McKay Metis, or McMurray
Metis terminate their participation the MOU will remain in effect between the remaining
parties.

28.

Where an annex or an existing sub-agreement does not specify a termination process, the
process set out in this MOU will apply to that annex or existing sub-agreement as between
the relevant parties.

Wood Buffalo Metis

Page 6of8

IN WITNESS THEREOF, this Memorandum of Understanding was signed in duplicate, each copy
being equally authentic.

FOR FORT CHIPEWYAN METIS LOCAL 125

Fre~

President of Metis Nation of Alberta Association Local Council #125 Fort Chipewyan

.d~ 1 ,2t? ; j Date Signed

FOR MCMURRAY METIS

_A,,:;e

14~{

Gail Gallup~
President of Metis Nation of Alberta Association Fort McMurray Local Council 1935

Date Signed

FOR THE MCKAY METIS

President of The Fort McKay Metis Commun ity Association

Dat~(f.f 3fa;
Wood Buffalo Metis
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APPENDIX A
Leadership committee
l.

Wood Buffalo Metis agree to establish a leadership committee comprised of representatives of eac h party to
oversee the elements of this MOU and resolve sign ificant issues of interpretatio n or application arising from it.

2.

The leadership committee shall be comprised of the following representatives:

Conklin Metis Local 193
President or their designate
CRDAC CEO or their designate

McMurray Metis:
Presid ent or their designate
General Manager or their designate

Fort Chipewyan Metis Local 125:

President o r their designate
President's designate

The McKay Metis:

President or their designate
CAO or their designate

3.

The leadership committee shall meet as required to address issues pertaining to this MOU, but at least three
times per calendar year.

4.

All decisions made will be made by consensus.

5.

An agenda shall be provided for each meeting and minutes of each meeting taken.

6.

Representatives on the leadership committee are expected to report back to their boards and local councils.

Operations committee
1.

Wood Buffalo Metis agree to establish an operations committee comprised of representatives of each party to
administer the implementation of MOU and direction of the Leadership committee.

2.

The operations comm ittee shall be comprised of the following representatives:

Conklin Metis Local 193
CRDAC CEO or their designate
Designate of CRDAC CEO

McMurray M etis:
General Manager or their designate
Designate of General Manager

Fort Chipewyan Metis Local 125:

President or their designate
Designate of President

The McKay Metis:

CAO or their designate
Designate of the CAO

3.

The operations committee shall meet as required to address issues perta ining to this MOU, but at least four
times per calendar year between leadership committee meetings.

4.

All decisions made will be done so by consensus and where there is disagreement the decision will brought to
the leadership committee for resolution.

5.

An agenda shall be provided five days in advance of each meeting and minutes of each meeting taken.

6.

Representatives on the operations committee are expected to report back to Leadership comm ittee
representatives.

Wood Buffalo Metis

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