Métis Nation of Saskatchewan President Robert Doucette says little has been accomplished by a recent court ruling that found two meetings he called last year were illegal.
In his decision, Justice Timothy Keene rules a special meeting on June 29, 2013 and a legislative assembly on Sept. 7-8 of last year violated the MNS constitution because they were not called by the Provincial Métis Council.
Doucette says the same problem still exists as existed last year when the MNS secretariat called the two meetings – the PMC has failed to call a legislative assembly.
“I don’t think this is a victory for anybody,” he says. “And just to go back to where this all started, it all started when the Provincial Métis Council wouldn’t take direction from their local presidents and they wouldn’t take direction from Métis people.”
Nevertheless, MNS Vice-President Gerald Morin says if Doucette is unwilling to follow the constitution, he should step aside.
“If he doesn’t want to follow and respect our constitution and our laws, then why would he continue to occupy a position of presidency,” he asks?
For his part, though, Doucette says he has no intention of stepping aside as president before his term is up.
“I have no reason to step down because Métis people gave me the mandate to rule as the president of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan based on their direction and that’s the important thing.”
Morin says the next logical step is for the MNS President to call a meeting of the provincial council so they can begin working again as a democratic body to set a date for the next legislative assembly.
The validity of the meetings was challenged in court by 12 provincial council members including Gerald Morin.
Métis National Council President Clem Chartier also says the court decision paves the way to set a date for a general assembly and the election of a new national president.
Chartier says until the legal situation was concluded in Saskatchewan, the MNC board of governors was unable to meet and set a date for the next assembly.
“The bylaws of the MNC demand that the elected provincial leaders are participants at the general assembly and that was precluded by the action that took place in Saskatchewan last year but this issue of course has been resolved by the court,” he says.
With the legal case in Saskatchewan now concluded, Chartier says the MNC can set a board of governors meeting and the date of the next assembly could be as soon as May.
Nevertheless, MNS President Robert Doucette says there are other reasons Chartier has been avoiding setting a date for a national assembly including a hesitancy to discuss financial issues.
“Why doesn’t Clem Chartier do what I did,” he asks? “Why doesn’t he provide a copy of the MNC Hallux report to all Métis leaders, like I did? It’s 171 pages, it’s in detail how they spent the money.”
According to Canadian Press reports, four of the five heads of provincial Métis organizations, including Doucette, are at odds with Chartier over financial and management issues.
Chartier’s term as MNC president officially expired at the end of last year.
He says he will run for national president again while Doucette says he will not seek re-election.
The MNS president says the organization is still considering whether to appeal the court decision.
Northern Saskatchewan Conservative MP Rob Clarke has called for federal funds to be frozen to the MNS in light of Justice Keene’s ruling.