Federal Financial Review Clears Métis National Council of Baseless Allegations
OTTAWA, April 23, 2020 /CNW/ - Métis National Council (MNC) Vice-President and National Spokesperson David Chartrand is pleased to announce the release of a financial review of its expenditures from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2018 that was conducted by Ernst & Young (EY) for Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC).
The review was prompted by allegations of a former disgruntled employee of potential mismanagement by MNC of consulting contracts for IT services and related consulting expenditures of up to $3 million over a period of three years. The complainant had evidently made these allegations to the RCMP which had then approached the investigations branch of CIRNAC. The MNC made it clear that it welcomed an examination of any of its expenditures and the EY review in fact went beyond the consulting expenditures included in the complaint and tested 229 transactions representing approximately $4.34 million in expenditures.
"As you can see in the report's conclusions, EY could not identify any evidence to substantiate the allegations raised regarding consulting contracts for IT services", said Chartrand. "Furthermore, it could not identify any unsupported or ineligible expenditures which would require a recovery of CIRNAC funds from MNC."
As was reported in the national news media, the RCMP had indicated in an email dated December 16, 2019, that its probe had closed because the federal department would not be filing a criminal complaint in the matter. The clean financial review being released today closes MNC's work with the department on this matter.
Chartrand, who is also the Métis Nation's Minister of Finance, welcomed a number of recommendations in the report for improving the MNC's financial administration.
"We found those recommendations useful and have already implemented many of them" said Chartrand. "There is always room for improvement in finances and we are no different. At the same time, we believe strongly in transparency and accountability and are pleased that the cloud of suspicion cast by the unfounded allegations of a former employee has been lifted."
The MNC represents the Métis Nation in Canada at the national and international levels. The Métis Nation's homeland includes the 3 Prairie Provinces and extends into the contiguous parts of British Columbia, Ontario, the Northwest Territories and the United States. There are approximately 400,000 Métis Nation citizens in Canada, roughly a quarter of all Aboriginal peoples in the country.
SOURCE Métis National Council
Ke Ning, Métis National Council, [email protected], 613-297-5193
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