What do I do if I encounter an enforcement officer while ?

1. Be calm, polite and courteous throughout the encounter. Being confrontational will not be helpful.
2. Clearly identify yourself as Métis and state that you are exercising your Métis right to harvest for food. This is very important. If you do not identify as Métis then different law and/or regulations may be applied to your harvesting activities. As well, claiming a Métis right after you did not identify as Métis or identified as something else may be problematic for administrative and legal purposes.
3. Show your Métis Nation identification to the enforcement officer. This will depend on what part of the Métis Nation Homeland you are in. For example, some Métis Nation governments issue specific Métis harvesters cards (i.e. Métis Nation of Ontario, Manitoba Métis Federation and Métis Provincial Council of British Columbia) while others are using existing membership cards for the purposes of Métis harvester identification (i.e. Métis Nation - Saskatchewan and Métis Nation of Alberta).
4. Make it known to the enforcement officer that you were only harvesting for food, social or ceremonial purposes.
5. If the officer asks you questions like 'what do you know about Métis rights or the Powley case?' or 'what Métis community you are from and when was it formed?' - you do not need to answer. In fact, you should be aware that additional information you provide at that time may be used against you at a later date. All you have to say is that you are exercising a Métis right to hunt for food and provide your identification.
6. Ask for the enforcement officer's name and identification number and write it down. Also, if you can make notes on anything that was said during the interaction.
7. Report any encounters, seizures of charges to your respective Métis Nation government immediately.