Letter to the Editor: Concern raised over acting Provincial Métis Council authority
- Andrew Blondeau | January 03, 2017
Dear editor
I, Andrew Blondeau, a Métis citizen in Saskatchewan, am very concerned about the underhanded methods of the current governing Provincial Metis Council (PMC). The first thing that many others and I are having trouble with is why the province and federal government continue to fund a council that lost its mandate in Sept. 2016. This clearly violates the Saskatchewan Métis Constitution, Article 8 subsection 2, which states election for the executive and regional representatives of the PMC of the Métis Nation Legislative Assembly (MNLA) shall be held WITHIN FOUR YEARS of the previous PMC elections. This article is very clear: it read “every four years,” NOT every four and a half years or five years. The previous PMC’s mandate and legal authority ran out on 8 September 2016. That they continue to govern outside their legally elected mandate disrespects the rights of ALL Saskatchewan Métis Members who have fought hard and long for our rights. Their actions clearly violate the Métis Constitution of Saskatchewan. The PMC has no legislative nor political authority beyond what the Constitution outlines in Article 8 subsection 2. Furthermore, only Métis Citizens have the power to mandate their leaders.
Related:
In effect, we the Saskatchewan Métis citizens do not recognize the legitimacy of the individuals currently representing our nation. According to our constitution, Article 5 subsection 11 of the MNS constitution outlines the action that must be taken. Since the authority of the previous leadership has lapsed, we must follow the guidelines for the interim process. Thus, each of the 12 regions, through their legitimate local presidents will hold a regional council meeting, and “shall choose an interim regional director who can fill the spot until elections.” Elections will be held 4 February 2017. HOWEVER, I feel it is necessary to have legitimate interim regional council members elected before that, as many of our citizens feel there is a bias among the current regional directors. These elected members are only acting on behalf of the Locals that support them and disregard all others. The Area Directors and PMC refuse to legitimize long-standing Locals in different areas of our province. Our constitution, in no uncertain terms, states that nine members make up a Local and as long as the regional council accepts them, they are to be put through the MNLA to be ratified. There are several locals not being ratified because there have been no regional council meetings. The Area Representatives are just making the rules up as they see fit, in their own interest—not that of the whole Saskatchewan Métis Membership. Article 5 subsection 10 states, the regional council shall provide direction to their representatives on the Provincial Métis Council with respect to all matters, including the aims, objectives, and aspirations of the organization for their respective regions.
How do we enforce our constitution when we have no direction from legitimate area directors, and the PMC has failed to uphold the rules of Our Nation? It is very worrisome that no legal election can be held, that proper voting lists with that names of the Locals in their region are inaccessible. Information is only available to a selected few, so unless We, the people of the Métis Nation, who I hope undersign this letter, stop this travesty of justice for our people, the current state of our nation will continue to fail us. Unless we all have a say, every Métis person in Saskatchewan, in what is important about what our constitution guarantees,. Each of us deserves to have fair representation within the council, meaning that our presidents must listen to ALL our concerns which is then taken before the area representative to the PMC as an indication of the state of all OUR community. As it stands now, those who have usurped the power simply follow their own rules.
It is high time we take back control of our nation. This is a plea to anyone that reads this to help legitimize our cause by some legal action against our illegal PMC, to bring down this travesty of what they are trying to pass as a legitimate election. There is a lot of hard work ahead for Our People, but we have to do it right or fall behind. We must look to what’s ahead and leave the past behind, learn from it but not dwell.
Very concerned,
Andrew Blondeau, a Métis Person