By paNOW Staff

Métis song draws ire from FSIN

Aug 10, 2018 | 5:54 PM

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) says a song being played on northern Saskatchewan’s MBC radio is causing racial division.

The popular track called “We’re Métis” by Derek Maurice and Dean Gautier features the lyrics, “We pay our taxes on our very own. We pay our cigarettes, gasoline and all of the clothes we’ve worn.” 

In a media release Friday the FSIN said the song “portrays and elaborates on several false and ignorant stereotypes of First Nations people.”

FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said the song showed “exactly why more Treaty education is desperately needed in all schools and communities across Saskatchewan.”

He added the song negatively portrays First Nations people and only perpetuates a destructive and harmful stereotype. 

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“We need to get away from the colonialist mentality that First Nations people don’t pay the same taxes as our non-First Nations brothers and sisters off reserve,” he said in a statement.

paNOW reached out to MBC radio and Maurice but neither was immediately available for comment.

MBC previously reported on its website there were complaints about the song. Maurice told the media outlet that the track was “a wake up call to all Canadians to recognize the rights Métis people have under the Constitution.”

He told MBC he was a person with First Nation ancestry himself, and he didn’t believe it was possible to be racist against his own people. He added he had no plans to withdraw the song which is freely available on YouTube.

panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow