By Kelly Malone

Métis Nation Sask. closing its doors indefinitely

Mar 31, 2015 | 1:31 PM

The last three staff members at Métis Nation – Saskatchewan (MN-S) will pack up their belongings as the organization closes its doors Tuesday.

The closure comes after a long history of political in fighting which resulted in the Provincial Métis Council (PMC), which supports MN-S vice-president Gerald Morin, not holding any meetings and therefore no date was set for a provincial legislative assembly since 2010. Then in October 2014, the federal government halted funding to the group because of its failure to hold up to it’s financial agreement, which requires two assemblies a year.

“I think it’s a sad day for the organization. I think that it’s the role of all Métis leaders to ensure that the governing organization of our nation, that represents Métis people, is running in an efficient, proper, and accountable fashion,” MN-S president Robert Doucette said.

“I will never ever say to anybody that the demise of our organization is a good thing. I will fight to the end to keep this organization alive and to get the opportunity for our people to give direction to the leadership on what’s important to them.”

Without the $416,000 annual federal operating grant, MN-S let its employees go and locked the doors. Doucette said they will use the last of their funds to pay rent on their building, which holds thousands of files from Métis people for a registry and applications for Métis citizenship, as well as a genealogical library.

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“Métis citizens can’t register now, people that rely on those citizenship cards to get scholarships or to get funding for whatever program… all of the things that we are supposed to be doing to help the Métis citizens of this province to live a better lifestyle are going by the wayside,” he said adding that other programs including a Blue Ribbon Campaign to prevent suicide and Pink Sash campaign for cancer have already been lost to the fighting.  

The closure may not be permanent if a case in front of the Court of Queen’s Bench rules that a legislative assembly must be held sooner than the September date selected by the PMC. That date was chosen at a PMC meeting in January only after the Court ordered a meeting the month prior.

“Let just go to an early assembly. The local presidents will probably give us, both sides, our lumps but we should take that because at the end of the day leaders take direction,” Doucette said.

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) said that funding would be reinstated if a successful assembly was held. Doucette said that the PMC and Morin wanted to delay the assembly because they wanted to gather more information, something Doucette said they’ve had more than enough time to do.

“We instructed our legal council to show that the PMC  and Gerald Morin were acting in bad faith when they made the decision to delay the Métis Nation Legislative Assembly (MNLA). (Justice Brian Scherman) instructed the other side to get ready to respond to our affidavit,” Doucette said, adding a decision is expected early next week.

“It’s hard to say what the judge is going to say next week. Everybody is hoping on both sides they get what they want but at the end of the day it’s Métis people that suffer.”

If the court decides that an early MNLA is required, it will still take time to arrange. Months, after an assembly, will likely be required to work with AANDC to reinstate funding and reopen the doors to MN-S. 

“This isn’t only about the funding. It’s about actually having all of the basis of our governance working in order …  The constitutional document that governs our organization is so dysfunctional that it needs to be changed,” Doucette said, adding it’s something people are asking for when an assembly is called.

“If they don’t change this constitution … we are still going to have the same problems in the next term. We are still going to continue to have this problem.”

MN-S represents about 100,000 Métis people in the province.  

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