CURRENT EFFORTS TO SUPPORT MÉTIS ELECTION END

The Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan's recent plans to support Métis people organize a new and fair democratic election for the leadership of the Métis Nation – Saskatchewan (MNS) - have come to a halt.

In June 2006, the two governments appointed an Independent Oversight Committee and Chief Electoral Officer (IOC/CEO) to oversee the implementation and the management of the election and just days ago the Committee released a comprehensive election strategy, which could have seen an election as early as June 27, 2007.  However, the strategy did not receive the full support it needed from the Provincial Métis Council, and the federal government has withdrawn its funding for the joint plan.

“We fully supported the work of the IOC/CEO and we are deeply disappointed that we could not come to a favourable conclusion,” First Nations and Métis Relations Minister Maynard Sonntag said.  “As of mid-last week we had hoped that we were still moving forward with the IOC/CEO and the federal government but we discovered late on Friday, January 26 that the federal government was of the view that the plan could not be implemented at this time and was withdrawing its support.”

The federal withdrawal was confirmed in a copy of a letter received by First Nations and Métis Relations late this afternoon.  The withdrawal of federal funding of the joint plan means an end to the current process.

“I would like to thank the IOC/CEO for all their work and efforts to achieve a new fair and democratic election for the Métis people of Saskatchewan,” Sonntag said.  “They worked diligently and with integrity at the request of the two governments and their efforts are to be commended.”

The Government of Saskatchewan will continue to work with Métis affiliates throughout the province to ensure that services to Métis people continue.  In the meantime the province has no plans to resume relations or funding with the MNS.  The severing of relations was made when the province determined that the 2004 MNS election had been neither fair nor democratic and that its results could not be relied upon.

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For more information, contact:

Alethea Foster
First Nations and Métis Relations
Regina
Phone: 306-787-5701
Email: afoster@fnmr.gov.sk.ca