The Supreme Court of Canada yesterday unanimously ruled that Métis and non-status Indians will be placed under the jurisdiction of federal government. Portage Friendship Centre Executive Director Shirley Bernard is Métis, and says she's been fighting for this for longer than the government said it was a 17-year issue.

"We're pretty excited that the Supreme Court has ruled that they're finally starting to recognize Métis and non-status people as Indian people. We all know that we are. We've been fighting this for many, many years. When I was involved with the Manitoba Métis Federation 20 years ago we've been talking about this at meetings and trying to push for our leaders to go for this."

Bernard says they grew up being taught they were Indian people.

"But the government and other people didn't recognize us as Indian people. Whether it be for the benefits that some people say that the Indian people have, benefits that maybe at one time were a lot of benefits -- there are not so many any more."

She adds it's not so much the associated rights she wants.

"To me, at least we're one step in the right direction of letting people know and recognizing that we're all Indian people. It doesn't matter what you think of or why you're fighting for that right, in my opinion, because we want all those rights, too. The Métis people want to get in there. We want the rights. Of course we want the rights. But for me, it's just being recognized for who we are."