Addendum!

www.metisbarefacts.blogspot.com

Good Day Readers:

Metis Mama had provided additional information on her Blog about the Metis Nation of Alberta's Judicial Council and the process by which a complaint against Trevor Gladue was brought before it. Bev Weber and Jeanette Hansen are to be commended for their time effort and personal expense in bringing the matter to the MJC's attention. But above all their belief that the system works as it should. A special thank you to Metis Mama for informing all of us about the process.

The question we should be asking here is why doesn't the Manitoba Metis Federation have a similar process?

Sincerely,

Clare L. Pieuk
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Thursday, March 12, 2009

For Clarity

The previous post is the text of a 15 page decision based on a complaint that was filed May 2008. The decision began as community meetings in Pincher Creek, Medicine Hat and Rocky Mountain House. The individuals from these communities had been getting information in relation to the MNA Board dispute, media releases, blog sites and passed on correspondence.

They were very concerned and began asking questions and attending meetings.

When they realized that what was being portrayed was misrepresented information they hosted community meetings that passed resolutions to remove Mr. Trevor Gladue from his position as Vice President of the Métis Nation of Alberta. Those meetings successfully passed Special Resolutions to move forward with an action. They were advised by their community that someone needed to do something to set the record straight.

For Bev Weber and Jeanette Hansen, they would not gain personally by the effort, for them it was a matter of principle. In fact, it cost them both money and time to personally commit to using the internal mechanisms of the Métis Nation to address the concerns. They had to travel to Edmonton to participate in the hearing, pay to have the package couriered to the Judiciary Council, pay for hotel rooms to participate, help cover the costs of their witnesses to come and be in the hearings and have the courage to carry the process forward and have faith in the mechanisms that were established by the Métis in Alberta many years ago.

The Métis Judiciary Council (MC) is a committee that was established over a decade ago to oversee the internal issues of the Métis Nation of Alberta. It was suppose to be the avenue of addressing internal conflicts without going to court. The MJC is made up of six individuals who are appointed or re-appointed every three years. Each of the six regions is suppose to select an individual to represent the 6 Regional Council’s on the Judiciary Council. The President of the Métis Nation of Alberta or the Provincial Vice President do not get to select anyone. The chair and co-chair of the Judiciary Council is selected by the MJC from amongst themselves. They are all volunteers who come together to work for Métis people in Alberta. The deliberations of the MJC are all specifically around the role that has been given in the bylaws.

In the matter of Trevor Gladue, the six members reviewed the complaint, participated in the hearing and unanimously agreed that the actions of Mr. Gladue were in violation of his Oath of Office and detrimental to the Métis Nation of Alberta. Two of the six MJC did not support the length of suspension that Trevor received – the other four supported the suspension being until 2015. It is the longest suspension that has ever been given out.

The person who is responsible for the matter is not the MJC, Bev Weber or Jeanette Hansen.

The responsibility lies with those individuals who chose to misrepresent facts, tell mistruths and mislead the Métis people for their own political gain. There was a definite attempt at the time to upsurge the power of the President.

In politics, it is fair game to take a run against the incumbent leadership. It is even fair to have an opposing political opinion to the existing leadership or a new vision and direction that you may like to see for the Métis people, but we do not need to tear the Métis Nation down, create financial hardships or misrepresent facts to do that. In truth, the Métis people will probably have a great deal more respect for honesty and integrity for anyone who wants to lead them.

As a community person, we only hope that we can learn to work through our differences and recognize that the decisions we make as leaders often effect others in ways that are not always visible. Our community needs people who can find a way to work together – even when the decision that gets approved is not liked by them.