Don’t Be Canada, and Don’t Ignore the Métis

This episode of On The Line was recorded in advance, as Matt Gurney is away on summer vacation. But we didn’t want to leave you hanging — so we’ve got two long-form conversations this week that are well worth your time.

This episode is also brought to you by the Métis Nation of Ontario. For generations, Métis communities in Ontario helped build Canada’s first great economy — the fur trade. They farmed, traded, raised families, and fought for their rights.

In 1993, they founded the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) to protect their future. In 2003, the Supreme Court affirmed their rights. In 2023, Canada recognized the MNO as the Métis Government in Ontario. Now, with a newly elected federal government, it’s time to move forward.

The MNO is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to advance the government-to-government relationship; resolve outstanding historic Métis claims; improve access to health care, mental health, and addictions services; and invest in Métis housing, education, and infrastructure. Generations of leadership brought us here. It’s time to get it done. Learn more at OntarioMetisFacts.com.

In the first segment, Matt catches up with his old National Post colleague Tristin Hopper, now the author of Don’t Be Canada: How One Country Did Everything Wrong All At Once. They talk about what prompted the book, the reporting moments that pushed him over the edge, and how quickly the world’s view of Canada has shifted. Some readers saw it as a welcome dose of honesty. Others, as a betrayal. Matt gets it — he's had exactly the same reactions whenever he's noted things like "Maybe we shouldn't have so much trash on the sidewalks." 

In the second segment, Matt speaks with Mitch Case of the Métis Nation of Ontario about Indigenous rights, especially around resource development. What does “consultation and accommodation” actually mean on the ground? Why do Canadians and Americans keep getting it wrong? Mitch also reflects on the differences between how each country understands (or doesn't understand) its own history — and the frustrations that follow for Indigenous peoples.

Full disclosure: The MNO is an advertising partner for The Line, including for this episode. But this segment is not sponsored content — it was produced through The Line's normal editorial processes, and the MNO did not receive (or ever seek) any special treatment or consideration, and exercised no editorial control over the interview or its contents. They really just were the right people to talk to for this segment! 

As always, On The Line drops Tuesday mornings on audio, with video Tuesday evenings on YouTube and our social channels. Like, subscribe, and share — especially across the parking lot.

Thanks for listening. And a programming note: next Tuesday will be Canada Day, a stat holiday, so there will be no episode that week. We'll be back as normal the week after that. Talk to you soon!