The painting!

I don't know if it was you or Derryl who wanted a photo of the Martin painting done by the MMF for him but here it is

Frank

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Good Day Readers:

So this e-mail makes sense to our many readers, Derryl is Derryl Sanderson (www.derrylsanderson.blogspot.com) and Frank Godon is pictured above. Mr. Godon sent us a colour copy of the painting in question but we were unable to transfer it into our Blog's Archive to show you. First time we've seen it.

There's a story attached to it. During 2004 the now defunct www.CyberSmokeSignals.com became aware of an expensive self-portrait oil painting the Manitoba Metis Federaton had given to former Prime Minister Paul Martin keeping in mind ARTICLE II POLITICAL AFFILIATION at page 2 of its Constitution clearly states:

"The organization shall not be affiliated with any political party."

At the time no one seemed to have seen the painting much less knew where it was. It appears there was never any public presentation so we were unable to find a photograph, that is, until Frank Godon provided one. We're curious where did you locate it?

With Rememberance Day rapidly approaching we can't help but wonder how many Metis Veterans the $8,025 painting could send to Juno Beach next month?

Here are a couple stories which appeared in the media at the time.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
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Metis present painting to PM
By David Kuxhaus
Winnipeg Free Press
September 13, 2004
Page A4

THE Manitoba Metis Federation commissioned a portrait of Paul Martin worth several thousands of dollars which it presented to the prime minister earlier this year.

MMF president David Chartrand said the gift was to honour Martin for acknowledging the Metis as a nation.

"This is part of our culture," said Chartrand. "When somebody does something for us we give them a gift."

The oil painting was done by Agnes Jorgensen, a local artist who lives in St. Andrews.

The portrait of Martin also depicts Metis leader Louis Riel looking down from the heavens on the prime minister.

"It's very beautiful," said Chartrand of the painting.

Earlier this year, Martin, speaking at a summit on aboriginal issues, suggested his government was prepared to officially recognize Riel, who was hanged for treason in 1885.

Chartrand declined to say how much the MMF paid for the painting.

A copy of a faxed invoice sent to the MMF by Jorgensen requests payment of $8,025 upon delivery of the portrait.

Chartrand said that amount included other services aside from the painting but refused to elaborate.

He empahsized that no government money was used to pay for the painting.

"I want to make that point very clear this is not program noney," said Chartrand.

The MMF has an overall budget of $20 million, the majority of which comes from the government, however, Chartrand said they also operate a number of profit making ventures which include managing buildings and operating a restaurant in their Henry Avenue headquarters.

Several native chiefs from Manitoba have come under criticism for making political donations to the Grits and chartering a plane to attend a reception hosted by the prime minister in Ottawa last month.

They say it's part of doing business and getting Martin's ear.

Chartrand, however, said the MMF's gift to the prime minister was not done to curry favour.

"This is not about trying to get something back," said Chartrand.

Chartrand said he hasn't had a chance to get Martin's reaction to the gift but said he heard from one of the prime minister's sons that he liked itl

david.kuxhaus@freepress.mb.ca
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Manitoba art among gifts relinquished by Martin
By Robert Fife
Winnipeg Free Press
January 3, 2005
Page B 18

OTTAWA - An oil painting from the Manitoba Metis Federation is one of two gifts the prime minister has turned over to the government. (emphasis ours)

Of the more than 20 gifts Martin has collected since becoming prime minister a year ago, he's given two of them back to the state. He becomes the first prime minister to pass along gifts to the government while still in office.

Martin turned over a DVD player from Flordia Governor Jeb Bush to the Department of Foreign Affairs and he deposited an oil painting given by the Manitoba Metis with the National Gallery of Canada. (emphasis ours)

Neither Brian Mulroney nor Jean Chretien Turned over any of the gifts they received while in government, although Mulroney did return all of them when he retired.

Nonetheless, Martin has kept top-0f-the-line golf clubs, oil paintings by famous artists and ornate vases.

Under Canada's conflict of interest rules, the prime minister and his cabinet ministers are permitted to accept free gifts given on official government business provided they declare any worth over $200 to the office of federal Ethics Commissioner Bernard Shapiro.

In the United States, the president and cabinet must turn over all gifts to the state.

Among some of the gifts that Martin has taken home are a first edition of The Long Ship Passing, given by President George W. Bush, a signed brown and tan etched glass vase from Romania's prime minister and a Waterford crystal of John Rocha design, presented by European Union President Bertie Ahern.

Martin was also given less expensive presents, including a fully carved moose antler from the George Gordon First Nation band, a woolen blanket from Saskatchewan's Keewatin tribe and a black leather jacked from Toronto Mayor David Miller.

Sheila Martin was given a hand-carved Spotted Sandpiper, Moo Roo handbag and Audubon elephant folio from Laura Bush, as well as, a silver start fish necklace and earings.

In opposition, the Liberals had a field day railing against Mulroney when he kept gifts and demanded that they be turned over to the state as U.S. presidents are required to do.

But when he moved into 24 Sussex Drive in 1993, Chretien received and kept hundreds of valuable gifts, including sculptures, ornate jewelry, oil paintings, an expensive 24-carat gold and diamond lapel pin from South Africa and even cases of French wine and boxes of Cuban cigars.

- CanWest News Service