Métis Employment & Training Department Celebrates 25 years of Excellence
Métis Employment & Training Minister John Fleury has been an instrumental part of the department
since its early inception.
The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) Métis Employment & Training (MET) Department has spent the last 25 years empowering Red River Métis Citizens through their wide range of programs and services - from career counselling to job search assistance, to financial aid for skills development and training.
On April 25, MMF President David Chartrand, 21 Cabinet Members, and Red River Métis Citizens came together to celebrate MET's 25th anniversary at the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg, MB.
John Fleury, the Minister of MET, has been an instrumental part of the department since its early inception. He oversaw the development of the Metis Human Resources Development Agreement (MHRDA 1) in 1999, which was the first coordinated effort between the MMF and the Government of Canada to support Red River Metis individuals' labour market success.
"When we first started, it was a 30-day type of monitoring system that we were under with the federal government. And today we've signed a 10-year agreement," said Minister Fleury. "So that's progress, and that's confidence from Canada in our government's ability to do this."
Since 1999, the MET Department has directly impacted over 48,000 Red River Métis - including 16,168 individuals employed, and 9,924 individuals returning to school.
"It's not just a job to us, it's a purpose. You know, it's a dream come true. What better service can you be to other people than helping them change their lives?" said Minister Fleury. "We provide our Citizens the opportunity to build a career that they want and even dream of. We help make it a possibility."
Left to right: Ministers Shawn Nault, David Beaudin, and John Fleury.
Volunteers, program participants, and employees from the past 25 years made up the over 200 guests in attendance, including former MMF lawyer Paul Edwards.
"I had the great pleasure of being the lawyer for the Manitoba Métis Federation 25 years ago when we were trying to get this funding back for the MMF and to negotiate the first agreement," said Edwards.
The lawyer spoke to the hard work that took place to get MET to where it is today.
"I think sometimes people forget that this was not given easily to the MMF. The MMF had certain funding available for labour and workforce improvement, and (then) it was taken away," he said. "There were many opponents at the political level and the bureaucratic level, but (President) David Chartrand was so persistent, and that ended up being the most important thing. He wanted it back and he was going to get it back."
MMF President David Chartrand gave the keynote speech at the event.
Edwards acknowledged the vision that was in place for MET programming, specifically its grassroots, "bottom-up model" and the resistance it faced.
"(The MMF) insisted on these funds being controlled at the local level. That was very hotly resisted by the bureaucrats and by the political level we were dealing with," he said. "They didn't see it working. They were consistently saying, 'there won't be enough people, they won't have enough time, (or) ability to control these funds on a local level; it's a nice idea, but it's never going to work.' So, this again was the uphill battle."
With the persistence of President Chartrand and members of the board, they eventually negotiated an agreement that reflected true Red River Métis values. MET's success under the MHRDA agreements eventually became "the poster child" of the country for Indigenous employment and training programs.
"It had been so incredibly successful that the federal government was using the MMF as an example across the country of what could and should happen, so this is an incredible success story tonight," said Edwards. "And I think that history, which I had the opportunity to be involved in at the very beginning, is important to remember today."
Jesse Vogen, a true MET success story, shared his experiences with MET at the event.
Left to right: Vogen, Minister Peter Fleming emcee.
Jesse Vogen, owner of Stanley Electrical & Mechanical LTD. and one of the speakers of the night, has worked diligently with MET staff to create employment opportunities for Red River Métis Citizens interested in apprenticing for their Red Seal certifications.
"We've been able to access (MET's) targeted wage subsidy program, which is beneficial for us when it comes to onboarding and training apprentices," said Vogen. "So, we get them for these six months, and we get subsidized, and it's worked out well moving them into our program."
Vogen currently has 16 Red River Métis employees, ranging from apprentices to management positions.
"Our collaboration with MET has been a win-win for all involved. They've helped me to build a strong team and give opportunities to Red River Métis Citizens," he said.
The Red River Métis entrepreneur urges individuals to tap into the opportunities MET can offer.
"It's definitely a go-to program. The resources they have are very sound and there's a quick turnaround. Everyone on their team is willing to help you and assist you with any type of questions you have. It's really helpful," he said.
Joan Ledoux, Associate Minister of MET, sees great things for the department following the evening's celebrations.
Andrea Canada, a Red River Métis Citizen in attendance at the event, has been involved with MET since the early 2000s when Manitoba Hydro and the MMF first developed an employment working group.
"I got to work directly representing Hydro with MET," said Canada. "And then I ended up on the Winnipeg Region Local Management Board, or I guess it's now called the Local Advisory Committee, and I still am involved with employment and training. I'm very passionate about helping build people up to the person that they're going to be through training and employment (opportunities)."
Canada emphasized the significance of investing in the education of Red River Métis Citizens.
"There's no end to where you can go in your life; you need education, you need a skill set, and you need confidence, and that is what Métis Employment and Training has done. They've built up the community by building confidence and building skills and by helping people fight for who they want to be," she said.
"Let us carry forward the spirit of innovation, strength, and resilience that has brought us this far. Let us embrace new challenges, seize new opportunities, and build an even brighter future for the next generation of Red River Métis Citizens." - Minister John Fleury
Describing MET as a family, Canada hopes more Citizens will connect with the department to get a head start on their careers, and has even encouraged her son to reach out for their services.
"Get involved with your community. Get involved in any way that you can," she said. "My son is 19 years old and he's starting to figure out what he wants to do. He'll be coming to MET to help with education and launching his career, so I encourage all our Citizens to do so (as well)."
As Red River Métis Youth begin to explore opportunities provided by MET, Minister Fleury shared his excitement about this next chapter for the department.
"Let us carry forward the spirit of innovation, strength, and resilience that has brought us this far. Let us embrace new challenges, seize new opportunities, and build an even brighter future for the next generation of Red River Métis Citizens," he said.
Looking to the future, Joan Ledoux, Associate Minister of MET, sees great things following the evening's celebrations.
"I've been here for a good amount of our 25 years, and as I reflect on what we've accomplished to date, I can only see bigger and better things happening as we move forward," said Minister Ledoux. "The doors are wide open now for Métis Citizens, and whatever we want to do, the opportunity is there. There's no barrier, and if barriers come up, we will knock them down."
