Manitoba First Nations leaders to attend King Charles' coronation

A group of First Nations leaders from Manitoba are heading to England later this week to attend King Charles' coronation ceremony and meet with royal representatives to discuss First Nations' issues. 

The delegation will include representatives from the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, Southern Chiefs' Organization, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak and Anishinew Okimawin, as well as the Manitoba arm of the Assembly of First Nations.

First Nations people have a relationship with the Crown that dates back to their first contact with Europeans. Through signing treaties, First Nations and the Crown established how they would share resources and coexist. 

For First Nations people, those treaties are forever, so it's important to be there to remind the Crown of their obligation to honour them and help address issues impacting Indigenous people, said Cathy Merrick, grand chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. 

"It's a historic day that we'd be able to be present as First Nation leaders, to be able to be seen there and to be able to talk about the issues that we face here in Manitoba as First Nations," she said. 

"It's not a good picture, it hasn't been a good picture, but hopefully King Charles being a treaty partner will be able to look at First Nation people differently."

In addition to attending the coronation ceremony, the delegation is scheduled to meet with royal representatives. 

Southern Chiefs' Organization Grand Chief Jerry Daniels said he hopes the trip will help improve the relationship First Nations have with the Crown. 

"We want to there and show that that relationship that was historically established through the treaty-making process continues today and it's still very relevant in many ways," he said. 

He said he thinks the monarch could have an important, symbolic role to play in advancing reconciliation. 

"I think that the king, similar to what has happened with the Pope, has a symbolic role to play and acknowledging some of the tragic history as well."

The crowning of Charles and his wife Camilla, who will become Queen, will take place at London's Westminster Abbey on May 6.