FSJ Métis Society annual general meeting taking place this weekend

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The community organization representing the interests of the Métis residents of Fort St. John will go over its goals and ambitions at this week’s annual general meeting.

The Fort St. John Métis Society (FSJMS) is a nation within the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC), and its gathering will be held at Northern Lights College on Sunday, June 14th, in Fort St. John.

Bailie Copeland, the director and grant writer for FSJMS, spoke to Energeticcity.ca about the organization’s long-term strategy at the meeting which includes a range of reports.

Topics the FSJMS expects to cover include reports regarding its women’s group, grants applied for, Métis bingo and several others.

“This year is just a review of what we’ve done throughout the year,” said Copeland. “it’s just a summarization of last year and what we’re hoping to do this year, and then we have a couple of resolutions for our constitution for things that we would like to change.”

As a group of 800-plus, Copeland said a key to the changes to its constitution will be opening membership to those who do not have Fort St. John listed as a residence.

Currently, those residing outside of the city can apply to be an MNBC member or an FSJMS member, but not both.

“We have had people from not Fort St. John who want to be our members, and so we want to open that up,” said Copeland. “[For instance] if they were from Wonowon [and] wanted to be a member, we would be able to accept them as per MNBC, but MNBC would not accept that as a citizenship requirement [under MNBC].”

There will be no changes to the board, as members elected in 2025 will serve out a full two-year term.

Going forward this summer, several events will be hosted by FSJMS, including a Canada Day barbecue at its offices and sending a delegation to the national Métis celebration in Batoche, Saskatchewan.

FSJMS’ annual general meeting will take place on Sunday, June 14th, at Northern Lights College’s Fort St. John campus at 9820 120 Avenue beginning at 2 p.m.

For more details, call FSJMS’s offices at 250-785-1541 or email the society at fsjmetis@telus.net.