Whatever happened to the MMF's land claims case?

“We are disappointed but we were by no means defeated,” said President David Chartrand of the Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF). “Based on the history of lower court aboriginal land-related decisions we had expected this outcome. It was also understood that no matter who won, this was going to go to the Supreme Court.” (July 8, 2010)

Good Day Readers:

We first became aware Canada's Chief Justice would be giving a lecture later today at the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Law when it was posted on the Winnipeg Free Press website a few hours ago.

That, in turn, lead us to wonder what's the current status of the court challenge has an appeal been filed yet? Is there a deadline? Anyone know?

David Chartrand's statement creates a misleading impression it's a slam dunk the SCC will automatically consider the lawsuit when, in fact, it chooses those cases to be reviewed. Admittedly it's hard to conceive the country's highest court turning down a case of this magnitude. After all lest we forget in an August 18, 2001 article by Winnipeg Free Press reporter David O'Brien (Billions ride on defining 'Metis') Mr. Chartrand was quoted as saying:

"It's not a question of if, it's just when we win. We think the case is open and shut."

We've always been a big fan of Chief Justice McLachlin who, in our view, can more than hold her own against her American counterpart John Roberts.

It is our belief this site can have a dramatic positive impact on those who read it as we suspect Chief Justice McLachlin does - one need only look at the before and after pictures.

Then there are those on whom it has had a negative impact such as Murray Trachtenberg (www.ptlaw.mb.ca; mtrachtenberg@ptlaw.mb.ca) David Chartrand's personal taxpayer financed $250 hourly defamation lawyer who sadly has gone from bad to worse it that's possible.

Speaking of the devil as the expression goes David Chartrand seems to have slid off the edge of the earth lately - we should be so lucky! To the best of our knowledge he was completely silent on the issue of the long gun registry during the debate that raged a few weeks ago an issue, one would think, of significance importance to our Metis citizens. The only public comment we're aware of was from Metis Member of Parliament for St. Boniface and recently appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the new Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs (John Duncan) Shelly Glover who came out strongly during a Winnipeg CBC Radio interview in favour of scrapped it.

Since receiving slightly more than "a whopping" 3,500 votes from the Federation's almost 53,000 members in this year's June election it's as though he has disappeared. Could he have possibly undergone an identity change and be hiding out in the witness protection program? Anyone seen or heard from him?

Sincerely/Clare L. Pieuk