Sunday, December 30, 2007

Does the Manitoba Metis Federation have a Judiciary Council?

Tansi/Good Day Readers:

The Metis Nation of Alberta's recent Press Release (below) is most instructive for a few reasons:

(1) MNA has a 6 person Regional Representative Metis Judiciary Council in place which not long ago issued a 7 page written decision in an alleged conflict of interest involving a Vice-President (Rick Boucher)

(2) It was made public!

(3) Compare this approach with the case of Darrel Roger Joseph Deslauriers former MMF Provincial Board of Director terminated approximately a month ago:

(i) To date those he represented in the Northwest Region have yet to receive an explanation from Federation headquarters

(ii) Derryl Sanderson (www.derrylsanderson.blogspot.com) reports he has a copy of Mr. Deslauriers' termination letter he'll post as soon as he figures out how. Apparently the reason given by the MMF is the former Director's bankruptcy. But is that the real cause? Are employees who experience financial difficulties routinely fired? Derryl Deslauriers, on the other hand, believes his disagreement with David Chartrand on a few issues resulted in his demise although no specifics have been offered








Darrel Roger Joseph Deslauriers
(In happier times!)








Derryl Sanderson
(and "Bear" - Grrrrr!)

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
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#100 Delia Gray Building
11738 Kingsway
Edmonton, AB T5G 0X5
Phone: (780) 455-2200
Fax: (780) 452-8946

Press Release
Attention News Editors

MNA Judiciary Council Finds Region One Vice-President Violated Metis Nation's Conflict of Interest Prohibitions

Edmonton, AB (December 19, 2007) - Yesterday the Metis Nation of Alberta (MNA) Judiciary Council issued a decision in a conflict of interest complaint filed against Rick Boucher, Vice-President for MNA Region 1.

The complaint was brought forward by MNA President Audrey Poitras, on behalf of seven members of the MNA Provincial Council, including the Presidents of four of the six MNA Regions.

"Now that this process is complete, I look forward to the MNA Provincial Council coming together to work on other issues that are really important to Metis people such as health, housing, harvesting and career development," President Poitras said. "This decision reinforces the need for people to respect Metis government and work together to advance Metis government for the good of Metis people."

The complaint flows from the Provincial Council passing a unanimous motion (that was seconded by Boucher) in February 2007 that the MNA pursue a bilateral agreement with Health Canada for the delivery of the Aboriginal Health Human Resource Initiative ((AHHRI), rather than entering a sub-agreement with the Metis National Council (MNC) for the delivery of this federal program due to concerns raised by the MNA's Minister of Family and Wellness with respect to accountability issues of MNA members.

In March 2007, unbeknownst to the MNA President, the MNA Minister for Family and Wellness, the Provincial Council as a whole or the MNA Region One Regional Council, Boucher entered into an agreement with the MNC for the delivery of the AHHRI through Metco Ventures Inc., a private company he 100% owned as of the date of signing the agreement. The agreement provided that Metco would now deliver health programs to Metis in Alberta rather than through the MNA.

"It is unfortunate that instead of working with and respecting his colleagues who are elected to serve all Metis people across the province, Mr. Boucher decided to pursue his own objectives," Marlene Lanz, Region 3 President and Minister for Family and Wellness said. "With this decision, I hope that the MNA can now finalize the bilateral agreement with Health Canada that was contemplated back in February 2007 in order to increase the number of Metis health professionals in this province and improve Metis health in Alberta.

"It is a very sad day when elected officials put their own self-interests above the Metis people with no regard to the future of our Nation," Sylvia Johnson, President of Region 6 said. "As leaders, we have the responsibility to ensure we are accountable and not have a hand disgracing and embarrassing the Metis Nation publicly."

The MNA Judiciary Council found that Boucher "made a decision to use a company he controlled to take an agreement away from the MNA," that Boucher "owed a duty to the MNA" and that "he had no right to act on his own contrary to the motion" passed by the MNA Provincial Council in February 2007.

The MNA Judiciary Council also wrote,

The MNA could not operate if every Councillor felt entitled to take information obtained through the MNA and then act on their own through other companies preventing the MNA from proceeding with negotiating agreements when the Provincial Council had authorized the negotiation of such agreements. ...

Provincial Council members do not have the right to act on their own because they disagree with the MNA Executives or the MNA Provincial Council. ...

People in the position of Mr. Boucher as a member fo the Provincial Council harm the integrity and credibility of the entire Metis Nation of Alberta by ignoring the process for Governing affairs of the Provincial Council.

In conclusion, the Judiciary Council found Boucher's actions were "a clear breach of the Conflict of Interest prohibitions under Article 22.1 and 22.2 of the Metis Nation of Alberta Bylaws." The Judiciary Council repremanded and immediately suspended Boucher from the Provincial Council and from holding specific positions in the MNA until December 18th, 2010.

"This process shows that the MNA's self-government is strong and that Metis leaders should be held to the same high standards we expect from federal and provincial Cabinet Ministers and MLAs when it comes to avoiding conflicts of interest. The MNA provincial Council members are here to strengthen the Metis Nation and serve all Metis people, not use information obtained through Metis government to advance their own agendas," Cecil Bellerose, Region 4 President said.

"This very serious decision of the Judiciary Council absolutely reinforces the belief of the Metis people in our government, our internal processes and the fundamental principle of good government and accountability," Karen Collins, President of Region 2 added."The elders, youth and membership have anxiously waited for this decision. Now that it has been made, we can move on as the storng Metis Nation that we are."

The compalint was initially filed in May 2007. An initial hearing date for the matter was set for July 20th, 2007. Boucher requested and was granted two adjournments: one to July 30th, 2007 and a second adjournment to September 20th to 21st, 2007. In September 2007, evidence was heard and the matter was adjourned a third time to November 24th and 25th, 2007. The Judiciary Council rendered its formal decision on December 18th, 2007. A copy of the full decision is attached.

For additional information contact:
Monique Devlin
MNA Communications
Telephone: (780) 455-2200

www.albertametis.com/getdoc/f7c6a7d9-8ce3-46b8-b23e-8e7404e73cac/MNA-Press -Release

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The reason is as folows:

1. THE MMF IS A JOKE
2. DAIVD CHARTRAND, ITS BLOATED BLOVIATED PRESIDENT IS ALSO A JOKE

They are jokes on the taxpayers of Manitoba and nation-wide, on Metis in Manitoba and nation-wide, and on all who value truye Metis pride. THE MMF IS NOT A SERIOUS ORGANIZATION NOR FORUM FOR DISCUSSION OF ISSUES.

11:40 AM  

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