MNS Pledges Political Action Against Government

MNS Pledges Political Action Against Government

Friday, October 15, 2004 at 13:23

Metis Nation – Saskatchewan officials are promising a “very loud demonstration” in front of Maynard Sonntag’s constituency office in Meadow Lake this afternoon.

MNS president Dwayne Roth says the protest is the first step in his organization’s rejection of the province’s attempt to investigate this year’s Metis election.

In a news release issued by the MNS yesterday, the organization vows that “strong political and legal action is being planned against the NDP government’s continued denial of the legitimacy of the Metis elections process”.

The provincial government is currently studying a report it received earlier this week from former provincial chief electoral officer Keith Lampard, who was commissioned to review the MNS election.

The contents of the report and the province’s response to it are expected to be released within the next couple of weeks.

Roth calls the Lampard investigation a “witch hunt” and views it as government interference in Metis affairs.

The government ordered the probe and froze 400-thousand dollars in funding to the MNS after getting complaints about alleged irregularities in the election — which included allegations of ballot box stuffing and tampering.