COLUMN: Carillon Flashback January 27, 1993 – Manitoba Metis president is appointed lieutenant-governor
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Manitoba Metis Federation president Yvon Dumont has been appointed Lieutenant-Governor by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
The 43-year-old Dumont, raised in St Laurent, becomes the first Manitoba Metis appointed to the vice-regal position. He succeeds George Johnson.
Dumont, active in the Metis Federation since 1967, was elected president in 1984.
He was particularly committed to rebuilding the financial stability of the Metis Federation and to getting the court back in action on the Metis land claims case, which had been effectively stalled.
Since then, the Canadian Supreme Court has ruled the federation represents the Metis people in Manitoba and had the right to bring court action.
The federation’s finances have also stabilized with larger surpluses realized during each year.
Dumont participated, on behalf of the federation, in the First Ministers conference on aboriginal issues, which ended in 1987.
Recently, he campaigned on behalf of the Charlottetown constitutional accord. He believes it was important the issue of Quebec’s place in the constitution be resolved so discussions on aboriginal issues could be commenced.
Dumont is also spokesperson for the Metis National Council and has been a member of the board of governors of the University of Manitoba and served on the national board of the Canadian Aboriginal Economic Development Strategy.
In his weekly Current Comment column, Carillon publisher Eugene Derksen agreed wholeheartedly with the appointment of Manitoba’s first Metis lieutenant governor.
“Manitobans of good will were proud when on Friday, Jan. 23 Metis leader Yvon Dumont was appointed lieutenant-governor designate to our province, the first Metis to be appointed to that high office in Manitoba.”
“I personally do not know Mr. Dumont, but I believe it is most appropriate a Metis leader be appointed to this high position.”
Derksen added that Manitobans will learn a lot more about Mr. Dumont in the months to come.
Dumont says he expects his vice-regal life will be challenging and has no intention of being overwhelmed by tedious protocol.