Ottawa, March 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Métis National Council (MNC) is deeply concerned by recent reporting that confirms the surveillance of Métis, First Nations, and Inuit leaders and communities by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the 1970s.
“The relationship between the Métis Nation and the RCMP has been complex and, at times, deeply strained,” said President Victoria Pruden. “The RCMP, originally established as the Northwest Mounted Police, was created in part to assert control over the historic Northwest and enforce colonial policies on Indigenous Peoples, including the Métis Nation. The RCMP also played a direct role in suppressing Métis self-determination and resistance. The latest revelations must be understood within this history, which contributes to mistrust between the federal government and many Indigenous people today.”
While troubling, these revelations are not surprising. They reflect a long-standing pattern in which our rights, governance, and advocacy have too often been misunderstood and mischaracterized within Canada’s institutions. Métis, at times, have been viewed through a national security lens rather than rights-bearing Nations and full partners in Confederation.
We recognize the Métis leaders who were subject to this surveillance. Despite scrutiny and pressure, they continued to stand up for our rights and for our people. Their leadership helped lay the foundation for the strong and resilient Métis Nation we see today.
This moment also raises important questions about trust today. Canadians, and Indigenous Peoples in particular, deserve clear assurances that these types of practices are not ongoing and that meaningful changes have been made within federal institutions. Rebuilding trust requires more than reflection. It requires transparency, accountability, and sustained action.
The Métis National Council will be engaging with the Federal Government, including Minister of Public Safety and the RCMP to advocate for a full disclosure of the records, co-develop pathways toward redress and to outline concrete steps to ensure this never happens again.
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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.
