The bureaucracy!

Good Day Readers:

We received the following reply today and would like to thank Ms Belsher-Ireland for the quick turnaround. Because of a busy schedule our Access to Information Act request was only surface mailed earlier this week.

Since an ATI application only costs $5 we anticipate filing others. This comes as no surprise given we expected such an eventuality from the outset to get at what we're seeking.

For questions 3-5 inclusive we will correspond directly with the Manitoba Metis Federation. If it does not respond or provides inadequate/incomplete data, we will contact the Information Commission of Canada informing her an organization receiving many millions of dollars annually from the federal government has refused a request for basic information that should be readily available.

There is provision within The Act whereby should the Information Commissioner's Office believe a request denied should be honoured, it can take the matter to the Federal Court of Canada on behalf of an applicant. If this happens we will ask it be done.

Shortly we'll send a follow up reply to Ms Belsher-Ireland agreeing with the conditions as outlined in her letter. It will be posted on the internet.

In the meantime, should you have any information on the Manitoba Metis Federation's budget or questions you'd like included in our next application, please send them. Remember, you can remain anonymous. Our only interest is in what you have to say.

Sincerely/Clare L. Pieuk

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Subject: "Manitoba Métis Federation - Canadian Taxpayer Funded" Access to Information Request
From: angie.belsher@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Date: Friday, February 25, 2011 12:58 pm
To: pieuk@shaw.ca

Good Afternoon,

I am in receipt of your ATI request (as worded below) in which certain portions require clarification.

For ease of reference, I am re-typing your ATI request:

1. What was the total dollar amount received by the Federation from the federal government for the 2009-2010 fiscal year?

2. From which federal departments and in what amounts were these monies provided?

3. To which programs and in what amounts were they assigned?

4. What was the annual salary and expenses of Manitoba Métis Federation President David Chartrand, his expenses and benefits package for the fiscal year 2009-2010?

5. What was the amount received, per diems, honorariums and expenses by each provincial Board of Directors for the period under consideration (fiscal 2009-2010)?

6. Results of audits for the last 3-fiscal periods, namely, fiscal 2006-2009 inclusive

7. What is the federal government's audit policy and schedule for the Manitoba Métis Federation for fiscal 2009-2010

For all points, we can only respond on behalf of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) - which includes Labour and Service Canada. Therefore, your points 1 and 2 will be combined. For information concerning other federal departments, you will have to address separate requests to them.

For number 3, if the information exists, we can tell you from which HRSDC program the MMF received funding, but not necessarily to which MMF program the funding was assigned.

For information concerning points 4 and 5 - this is specific to the Manitoba Métis Federation operating structure. You will need to address these items to them.

For points 6 and 7 - HRSDC recommends that these points be addressed in a follow-up ATI request. The type of audits/audit policy cannot be determined until it is known what type of funding, if any, was provided to the Manitoba Métis Federation.

Also, please note that, in order to respond to your request, we will be rewording your points to request documents that respond to the various points rather than answering your questions. In other words, for point number 1, it will state "provide documents detailing the total dollar amount..." etc.

Once you confirm that you agree with the above approach, we will be pleased to begin the processing of your request.

In the meantime, should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you.

Angie Belsher-Ireland
Team Leader/Chef d'équipe
ATIP/AIPRP
(819) 994-0991
(819) 953-0659
angie.belsher@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca