BC Metis Federation has sent an immediate response to governments in light of the newsletter released by the MNBC yesterday.
Re: MNBC Fall Newsletter 2012 VIA EMAIL
Dear Minister Chong and Minister Duncan,
The BC Métis Federation writes in light of the Mètis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) Fall Newsletter released yesterday and now available on their website (www.mnbc.ca). The MNBC Fall Newsletter is best described as political rhetoric that lacks substance, honesty, or provides a true picture of the situation MNBC is confronting.
There are a number of significant issues to address and we bring to your immediate attention the following two:
1. MNBC Financial Sustainability
It is incredible to believe MNBC Senior Management writes language that MNBC is successful and managing financial issues. The reality for any non-profit organization is that budgets are EXPECTED to be strictly adhered to and meet contract requirements. Doing your job as management alone is not a victory for MNBC. The current and past MNBC financial policies and procedures required MNBC to follow balanced budgets but unfortunately have not been adhered to which has led to the financial crisis today.
One of the major hurdles facing MNBC financial sustainability is the immediate need to sell the Mètis School in Abbotsford. Despite months and months of assurances by MNBC staff, today there is no sale and each month MNBC is paying the overall financing and interest costs for an extremely poor decision in 2009 by the MNBC board, which includes most of the current MNBC board members.
What is most disturbing is any presentation that suggests MNBC is reducing their debt. As per the MNBC Constitution Article 68.5 MNBC is required to present the overall (consolidated) financial position of the MNBC which should include any subsidiaries such as Mètis Skills and Employment Center Trust and the Meet so Catering. This past fiscal year MNBC realized a combined loss of $923,123.00 which is far greater than reported in this newsletter where MNBC staff selectively only provides the view of the Mètis Provincial Council of British Columbia Secretariat. In addition I find it also interesting that MNBC management neglected to say another way they managed cash flow for the increasing demands of MNBC. For example MNBC increased bank indebtedness by $3,753,655.00 this past year alone.
A final obvious point of misinformation on this page is the suggestion that MNBC reduced administration by $400,000 in 2011-2012. According to the actual audited financial statements released by MNBC, the audited administration amounts read as follows:
-MPCBC 2010-2011 Audited Financial Statements Schedule 68 Administration $826,238.00
-MPCBC 2011-2012 Audited Financial Statements Schedule 41 Administration $1,347,735.00
According to the actual audited information made public this MNBC staff statement is factually not correct and rather than a reduced administrative amount of $400,000.00, MNBC administration actually increased by $521,497.00. BC Mètis Federation will review the professional designation options of this individual in terms of meeting professional ethics of financial reporting in such circumstances as other resolution.
The presentations on page 16 by MNBC management are irresponsible, inaccurate and lack full disclosure. Moreover there remains no clear answer about the sale of the Mètis School or real debt recovery while MNBC spends about $60,000/month to support overall financing costs.
The real shame of the MNBC financial pressure of the ballooning debt is hurting people in other ways. I have been made aware of students who once again have been informed that MNBC has not paid their tuitions although we assume MNBC has received timely advances for employment and training services. The real question is for MNBC staff is what the outstanding payables are and why?
2. MNBC Discriminatory Program Delivery
The most significant issue is the continuing MNBC statements in the article “Don’t Be Fooled, Know The Facts” page 15. This information was also sent out in the MNBC 2012 Spring Newsletter. Your governments continue to provide public funding to support a number of service delivery projects through MNBC and this section is of major importance.
BC Mètis Federation has raised serious concerns with various departments about how MNBC continues to politicize program and service delivery. MNBC has been misinforming Mètis people throughout BC that only their MNBC citizenship card holders can access key programs such as employment and training, health, and others if you have their MNBC card. This is leading policy work at provincial and federal government levels and this is extremely concerning. This latest MNBC newsletter shows once again that MNBC leadership, staff, and their supporters are politicizing these critical programs, shaping policies and discriminating public access for all Mètis people in BC. MNBC represents only a fraction of the Mètis population in BC and we understand benefits from various programs funds are for all Mètis people, not just MNBC card holders. MNBC continues to inform various provincial and federal officials that they serve the self identified population in BC of about 60,000 people but their own documentation continues to prove otherwise.
The communication and actions of the MNBC are a clear violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in relation to service delivery. Specifically the freedom of association and equality rights to programs described in sections (2) and 15(2). MNBC is desperately trying to misinform Mètis people throughout BC because more and more are removing themselves from such destructive, divisive MNBC behaviors.
We do not dispute the right for MNBC to design their internal governance needs as a nonprofit organization but clearly public funding for programs and services cannot and MUST not be politicized, which they are.
In closing the MNBC Fall Newsletter has many other points to dispute but these are the immediate and major items. We urge immediate actions to address the unconstitutional actions of this organization.
Thank you,
Keith Henry
President
British Columbia Métis Federation
Suite 300-3665 Kingsway
Vancouver, BC V5R 5W2
[ilink url=”/wp-content/uploads/BCMF-Letter-to-Provincial-and-Federal-Government-November-15th-2012-1.pdf” style=”download”]Download this Letter in PDF format[/ilink]
[ilink url=”/wp-content/uploads/Fall_Issue_newsletter_Web_version_FINAL4.pdf” style=”download”]MNBC Fall Newsletter[/ilink]
