After the success of the landmark Powley Case at the Supreme Court of Canada, the Powleys were universally hailed as heroes of the Métis Nation.
In a 2003 Grassroots News article, for example, Manitoba Métis Federation President David Chartrand celebrated the Powley family and Sault Ste. Marie Métis Community:
“Our Metis Nation will remember 2003 as an historic year. It will be remembered along with other important dates in the history of our People such as 1816, 1870, and 1885. On September 19th the Supreme Court of Canada made an important decision that was the result of nearly two hundred years of ongoing political, legal, and military struggles by our Ancestors in the past and by our Citizens today. It is a time, without a doubt, when we can hold our heads high.”
Chartrand continued his praise of the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in R. v. Powley, which reinforced the recently passed MNC National Definition and the MNC’s collective position that the Powleys and Sault Ste. Marie Métis Community were a part of the Historic Métis Nation:
“The Court’s reasoning reflects towards our national Metis Definition that was passed by the Metis National Council and recently ratified at our 35th Annual General Assembly… I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in moving our struggle forward to the Supreme Court. I would like to give special thanks to Mr. Powley and his son Roddy, for their hard work, determination, and personal sacrifices in getting their case heard by the highest court in the land.”
The Manitoba Métis Federation also presented Steve and Roddy Powley with a rifle to commemorate their fight on behalf of the Métis Nation. The Métis Nation continues to remember the Powley family’s sacrifices and outpouring of support from Métis governments across the Métis Homeland, like the Manitoba Métis Federation, throughout their legal saga.
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