Four Points of Agreement

On July 7, 2004, the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources signed the first-ever negotiated agreement recognizing Métis harvesting rights anywhere in the Métis homeland. 

The interim harvesting agreement contained a four-point recognition framework, intended to support the implementation of the Supreme Court of Canada’s unanimous decision in R. v. Powley beyond the historic Sault Ste. Marie Métis Community, where credible Métis rights assertions were identified.

The July 7, 2004 interim Harvesting Agreement’s four points of agreement included:

1. Recognition of MNO Harvester’s Cards: The MNO would issue up to 1,250 Harvester’s Cards in 2004, with a pathway to increasing this number through an independent review of the MNO’s registry and Harvester Card systems.

2. Equal Enforcement: MNO Harvester Card holders harvesting for food within their traditional territory would be subject to the same enforcement policies as First Nations harvesters, subject to conservation and safety values within an Interim Enforcement Policy.

3. Two-Year Term with Possible Extension: The interim agreement would last for two years, with the intent to extend the agreement by mutual consent until a final agreement could be reached.

4. Independent Evaluation: The MNO Harvester Card system would be reviewed through an independently governed process agreed to by both parties.

The 2004 interim Harvesting Agreement also included a jointly developed Harvesting Agreement Map outlining areas of the province where Métis harvesting rights assertions were considered credible under the Powley test. This map helped provide clarity for harvesters and enforcement officials alike, while also providing a basis for future negotiation and lasting recognition of Métis harvesting rights in the province.

See Our Sources

• 2004 MNO-MNR Harvesting Agreement Map

• Ontario Recognizes Métis Nation of Ontario Harvest Cards

• MNO PlainSpeak Harvesting Document

• MNC’s Supreme Court Factum in Powley

• R. v. Powley, [2003] 2 S.C.R. 207, 2003 SCC 43

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