Boards Of MNS Affiliates Under Government Scrutiny

Boards Of MNS Affiliates Under Government Scrutiny

Thursday, May 05, 2005 at 16:31

The Metis Nation of Saskatchewan says the provincial government has been attacking the automomy of its affiliates.

However, the province says its simply trying to protect the boards of those affiliates from potential political interference by MNS officials.

First Nations and Metis Relations deputy minister Donovan Young says there were concerns in the last few weeks that the MNS might try to replace board members at the Gabriel Dumont Institute with political appointees — something Young says can’t happen.

MNS president Dwayne Roth says provincial officials threatened to withdraw funding over the matter, and in the case of the GDI board, the MNS was forced into extending the term of the current board by another year even though their three-year term is up.

Young says it would be up to the departments the affiliates signed operating agreements with to decide whether non-compliance would result in funding being pulled.

However, he notes the MNS has been complying with the province’s wishes.