(Vancouver, BC) The BC Métis Federation formed in June of 2011 to address, in part, the serious financial mismanagement by the Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) and the serious negative impacts that resulted towards Métis communities and families across the province. The MNBC is one of five (5) governing members of the Métis National Council (MNC) which has been in existence since the mid 1980’s. On Sunday, March 16th The Canada Press reporter Steve Rennie released an article entitled Feds Scrutinize Métis Organization which describes the latest negative coverage about the rampant mismanagement within the MNC.
The article describes an audit completed by Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada from 2008-2011 and sets out a number of financial control issues, conflict of interests concerns, and other matters. The MNC and the governing members, such as MNBC, have not made the federal audit public and the only information about the details is released in this recent article.
BC Métis Federation President Henry commented; “This is just another example of how broken the alleged Métis governance system is within these Métis organizations. MNC claims they represent all Métis in Canada and as Métis people we know this is not true. It will not matter how much money the Federal Government pours into the MNC and their affiliates, they cannot manage their financial affairs and end up in millions in debt along with mismanagement issues. MNC has been afforded tens of millions since it was established in the 1980s and where are they today? Not only are they facing serious audit issues but MNC is alleged to have organizational debt similar to their governing member here in BC. As of March 31st, 2013 the MNBC financial statements revealed MNBC was insolvent by over $5.6 million.”
BC Métis Federation President Henry added; “It is disappointing that the Federal Government through Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) has yet to properly address the governance structures for Métis people. In fact a Senate Report in Métis identity was released last June of 2013 that directed Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada to review engagement with Métis organizations and establish new relationships where there were legitimate representative Métis organizations not affiliated with MNC across the country. AANDC has done absolutely nothing about their own government’s recommendations and this is unfortunate in light of these latest revelations.”
BC Métis Federation President Henry concluded; “BC Métis Federation and our community leaders appreciate the article and greater public awareness. This is a sad story that has been unfolding in British Columbia for years. The MNC does not represent the majority of Métis people in the provinces where they have governing members, let alone the country. There are several Métis organizations that choose to not participate with the MNC and their governing members for reasons such as this serious financial mismanagement. MNC President Chartier was at the forefront of issues as the former President of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan in the late 1990’s and the exact same situation unfolded. The exact same excuses were made as public statements. MNC has not disclosed any such audit reports to the Métis public and this lack of true public transparency is why the MNC should be considered obsolete. There is no support for Métis people in terms of leadership, engagement, communications, or policy. The MNC and their governing members have become nothing more than a club that is 100% dependent on government handouts off the backs of Métis people. No one can tell me that we cannot manage resources properly because the BC Métis Federation is proving it each and every day since June of 2011. We volunteer, raise our own resources through personal donations and fund raising, have done more for Métis education and culture, and have a communications network that far exceeds any information by MNC or their governing members such as MNBC by comparison. Until Federal and Provincial governments realize that there must be a better way, tax payer dollars will be wasted by the millions each year by these false governments. Métis pay taxes as well and watching this unfolded repeatedly must stop one day.”
For more information about the BC Métis Federation website @ www.bcmetis.com.
Media Inquiries:
Keith Henry, President
BC Métis Federation
#300-3665 Kingsway
Vancouver, BC V5R 5W2
Office 1-604-638-7220
Cell 1-778-388-5013
Email k.henry@bcmetis.com
You can now follow BC Métis Federation President Keith Henry on twitter @keithhenryMetis
[ilink url=”[ilink url=”https://bcmetis.com/wp-content/uploads/BCMF-Press-Release-March-18th-2014-Financial-Mismanagement-Continues-to-Hurt-Metis-People.pdf” style=”download”]Download this Article in PDF[/ilink]
[ilink url=”[ilink url=”https://www.therecord.com/news-story/4415323-feds-scrutinized-metis-organization/” style=”download”]Canadian Press Article Steve Rennie[/ilink]
[ilink url=”[ilink url=”https://bcmetis.com/2013/06/senate-report-released-june-6th/” style=”download”]Senate Report on Metis Identity [/ilink]
