OTTAWA, ON, June 24, 2021 /CNW/ - The Métis National Council (MNC) Board of Governors meeting originally scheduled for June 22 has been postponed pending the outcome of a court hearing in the coming weeks. The leadership of the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA), Métis Nation – Saskatchewan (MNS), Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) and Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) look forward to getting to a long-awaited Board of Governors meeting pending the outcome of the court hearing, and the opportunity to address many outstanding governance and other matters, including the scheduling of a MNC General Assembly and election of a new MNC President.
"The MNC Board of Governors has not properly convened since July 2018 and as Presidents of four of the five Métis governments that compose the MNC, we feel that is completely unacceptable," said MNA President, Audrey Poitras. "The MNC is not an independent entity from the Governing Members of the Métis Nation. There is no MNC without the Governing Members and we are responsible to the citizens that elected us for the operation of the MNC."
A court hearing took place on Monday June 21st, to discuss the legal action commenced by Clement Chartier, and other actions Chartier took as MNC President. While no decisions were made, the judge directed that another hearing be set in July to finally resolve the issues. "Our governments were pleased to see that the judge assigned to this matter was aware of the longstanding issues that we have been facing as we have pushed to get a Board of Governors meeting and Assembly set so that the election of the next MNC President can proceed," said Poitras. "We are clearing a path to get to a meeting so that we can ensure proper governance and transparency within the MNC. We remain united in the need for these matters to be dealt with based upon our own democratic processes."
Since the last board meeting in 2018, unilateral decisions have been taken by a few in MNC leadership without the consent and agreement of the Board of Governors. "We believe these unilateral actions have undermined the governance of the Métis National Council, and were actively advancing the interests of some Métis citizens while shunting aside those of the majority. The MNC answers to, and is accountable to, the Governing Members, not the other way around," said Poitras. "Proper accountability was being ignored and, as a Board of Governors, we have a duty to correct that matter in a manner that is consistent with our democratic traditions and in keeping with our MNC governing documents."
SOURCE Métis Nation British Columbia
Nick Hosseinzadeh: 778-996-6425, [email protected]
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