MNO President Lipinski Congratulates Ontario on Commitment to Implement Mandatory Indigenous Cultural Training

OTTAWA, ON--(Marketwired - February 23, 2016) - The Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) commends the government of Ontario for its recent announcement and commitment to implementing mandatory Indigenous cultural competency and anti-racism training across the Ontario Public Service. 

MNO President Gary Lipinski stated, "We applaud Premier Wynne's leadership in addressing this Call to Action identified within the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Final Report. Implementing Indigenous cultural competency training across the Ontario public service is a step toward creating dialogue and building more positive relationships between Ontario and its Indigenous peoples."

An integral part of this training will be telling the Métis story in Ontario and gaining a full appreciation for the historical experiences and contemporary realities of Métis children, families and communities. President Lipinski noted, "We know according to census data that Métis people in Ontario make up over one third of Ontario's Aboriginal population. The Métis Nation has a rich history and culture and we have played a vital role in the development of Ontario and Canada. The Métis Nation of Ontario looks forward to working in collaboration with Ontario to develop Métis cultural competency content and training to share our story. The MNO applauds Ontario's commitment to create a better future for all Ontarians."