Government Tucks Away Funds For Metis Election

Government Tucks Away Funds For Metis Election

Friday, April 07, 2006 at 14:59

The minister of First Nations and Metis Relations says the provincial budget announced yesterday contains money for a new Metis election in Saskatchewan.

Maynard Sonntag isn’t sure when, or if, that will happen — but he says his department has set aside funds for that possibility.

Sonntag says if an election doesn’t happen, his department will spend the money on other projects that benefit the Metis community.

He says money set aside in last year’s budget was spent on Metis initiatives when the election didn’t materialize.

The disputed leadership of the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan is at odds with the provincial government over how a new election should be administered, following the controversy that erupted after the 2004 vote.