Letter sent earlier today…
Dear Minister Valcourt,
The BC Métis Federation will continue to write in response to the ongoing situation of the Hallux Audit completed by your department in 2012 with the Métis National Council (MNC) and Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC). Yesterday the latest media attention to the MNC audit questioned a significant finding in the 2012 Hallux Audit of the MNC regarding the alleged inflated MNC office rent, which happens to be owned by a numbered company comprised of Manitoba Métis Federation affiliated board members.
As this sad saga continues to unfold BC Métis Federation will continue to ask your department serious questions about how Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) staff and your office can continue to defend such rampant abuse of public funds? During our recent meetings in Ottawa it was clear that staff was not interested in addressing real issues of program mismanagement, AANDC policies of a one window approach to addressing Métis governance and program support, and reports on Métis identity written by the Government of Canada’s own Senate simply did not matter. No one answered us about how the Hallux Audit and other issues facing MNC and the MNBC were going to be repaid. According to the Hallux Audits in 2012, MNC and the MNBC owed Canadian tax payers and our Métis people an estimated $3.7 million but it appears no one in your office or department cares. No one wants to take responsibility to seriously address the issues and answer the fundamental questions such as “imagine what constructive work could have been done for the Métis people with these resources.”
The latest negative MNC media coverage brings into question how can AANDC approve inflated rent of an estimated $66,000 per year based on the Hallux Audit findings. There is no issue with Métis money staying in our economy when it is comparable and fair market defendable, which the audit AANDC told your department about. Clearly nothing has been done to take appropriate steps and one has to assume another 2 years of inflated rent has been allowed to carry on bring into question about $122,000.00 in mismanagement.
In closing the BC Métis Federation is in communications with the proper authorities to bring this matter, and others forward. As Minster you have fiduciary duty to all Métis people in Canada. To stand by and allow mismanagement, misspending, and ignoring your own audits and Senate recommendations is truly disappointing. Many of your staff addressing Métis issues do not support public transparency and accountability and I can assure you that this is no longer acceptable, nor should it have been for the years it was allowed and enabled to carry on with the full support and approval of your department.
Thank you,
Keith Henry
President
BC Métis Federation
cc Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, Government of Canada
Premier Christy Clark, Province of British Columbia
Honourable John Rustad, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
Honourable Doug Donaldson, Critic for Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Federal Liberal Aboriginal Affairs Critic
Honourable Jean Crowder, NDP Aboriginal Affairs Critic
Honourable Justin Trudeau, Liberal Leader
Honourable, Thomas Mulcair, NDP Leader – Official Opposition
BC Métis Federation Board Members
Bryn Grey, Policy and Legal Advisor, Minister’s Office
Leo Doyle, Director and Métis and Non Status Indian Relations
[ilink url=”[ilink url=”http://bcmetis.com/wp-content/uploads/BCMF-letter-to-AANDC-Minister-Valcourt-June-26th-2014-MNC-Media-Coverage.pdf” style=”download”]Download this Press Release in PDF[/ilink]
[ilink url=”[ilink url=”http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/audit-questions-metis-national-council-s-office-lease-1.1885954″ style=”download”]CTV News Article -Audit questions Metis National Council’s office lease [/ilink]
