One of the Provincial Metis Council officials suspended over allegations of harassment is speaking publicly about her concerns with the MN-S investigation into the matter.
This past January, the Metis Nation-Saskatchewan saw two different claims of harassment among elected officials and staff – one by four elected officials against the MN-S CEO and the other by the CEO of the MN-S toward these officials.
The four elected officials would be suspended as a result of a resolution past by the rest of the PMC. The resolution would provide a financial payout to the CEO of the MN-S and required the four elected officials to provide a written apology to be reinstated. That PMC resolution is available here – PMC-IC-250318-03-Human-Resources-250625
Two of those suspended PMC officials were re-elected in May, however, they continue to face suspension as they have yet to provide an apology. Even though, they officially took their oaths of office last week.
Over the past months, online rhetoric on the matter has become heated with the MN-S sending out cease and desist letters to some of its biggest detractors on the issue.
On Friday afternoon, Kathy Pruden-Nansel, one of the suspended PMC officials who was not re-elected, held a press conference where she shared her side of what happened with the investigation.
According to Pruden-Nansel, the situation goes back to the MN-S MNLA in November 2024, which was held in Regina. At that MNLA there was discussion of the Metis Nation’s Coming Home resolution, which allows Metis people with Saskatchewan heritage living in other provinces to join the MN-S registry.
Videos of the MNLA are not posted to the website, however, in video clips posted on social media the four officials are seen repeatedly bringing up their concerns of conflict with the resolution specifically as it related to MN-S CEO Richard Quintal. The officials are repeatedly warned by the MNLA Chairperson that they can not identify the CEO in discussion, saying that they can only speak about the resolution itself and cannot identify any individual staff member of the MN-S. At one point, the chairperson brings up a concern that the conversation may be an “attack” on Quintal. When one of the officilas asked why they conuldn’t include Quintal in the conversation, the chair replies “there is a reason” and later says if there is continued mention of the CEO there may be a “human rights case.” At one point the Chair says any other mention of the CEO on the matter would result in expulsion.
The matter would be brought up by Richard Quintal at a Provincial Metis Council meeting in January 2025. Again the video is not available on the MN-S website, however, in videos posted on social media, Quintal is seen addressing what happened at the November MNLA.
“But I’ll tell you one thing, what happened at the MNLA is completely unacceptable,” Quintal is seen saying in the video. “Humiliating me, attacking me, ensuing bullying from online bullies and trolls that nonstop are coming after me. I had to take time off work because my family was hurt.”
At the end of his comments, Quintal would name the four suspended officials saying “I am putting you on notice.” Audio of those remarks is available below.
The minutes of that January PMC meeting contain no reference to Quintal’s comments. The minutes do contain details of a workplace harassment update, which Quintal seems to reference in his remarks.
Pruden-Nansel claims she had been “poorly treated” by Richard Quintal for many years and she along with the other officials each submitted formal complaints against Richard Quintal 6 days later on January 31 citing concerns of intimidation, abuse of power, harassment, and unprofessional behaviour.
Pruden-Nansel says they would receive a letter confirming that the HR Committee had received the formal complaint and were informed that Quintal also raised harassment allegations against the four officials. At this time, it is not known who filed their complaint first.
The investigation into the harassment claims was conducted by Lee Knafelc of Ignite Coaching and Consulting, a firm that includes HR Consulting as one of their services.
The firm is third-party to the Metis Nation-Saskatchewan, but Pruden-Nansel and her lawyers had concerns as they felt their was a pre-existing relationship between Knafelc and the PMC Chair. MBC News has not been able to confirm what this pre-existing relationship may be.
Pruden-Nansel would also bring up other concerns she had with the investigation, which she felt was rushed and didn’t give her proper time to reschedule interviews and consult with her lawyer. She also felt the investigation was not done in accordance with the Executive Handbook. According to Pruden-Nansel, the entire investigation was completed in 8 calendar days.
The result of the investigation would find that the harassment allegations raised by Richard Quintal were founded and the harassment claims by the four officials were unfounded. Following this outcome the four officials were suspended as stated in the PMC Resolution on March 18, 2025 posted above.
To this day, Pruden-Nansel says she has never received any information from the investigators as to why her claim was unfounded.
She did say her and her lawyer received a binder “two-inches thick” as to why the allegations against her and the other officials were founded. Pruden-Nansel says she was only able to view the contents of the binder in the presence of her lawyer and was not allowed to take notes or pictures. At Friday’s press conference, Pruden-Nansel would go into great detail of what she remembered from the binder. MBC News has decided not to report what Pruden-Nansel remembered to be in the binder as it contains information that, at this point, can not be verified.
Pruden-Nansel says it was a frustrating process and cost her a lot of money as she had to pay legal fees to view the contents of the binder. When asked if her lawyer had ever seen a process like this – she said “he was extremely frustrated.”
Pruden-Nansel was also asked if she would take the matter to court and she says her lawyer has identified “several strategies” moving forward.
MBC News reached out to MN-S officials on Friday afternoon for comment on Pruden-Nansel’s statements. As of Monday afternoon, the MN-S has not provided any official response.
(TOP PHOTO: Kathy Pruden-Nansel holds a press conference in Saskatoon. Photo by Joel Willick.)