MNS Accepts Consultation Process
Friday, January 07, 2005 at 13:39
The president of the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan says he approves of an upcoming consultation tour by six Metis citizens, but is disappointed the government chose not to deal with the MNS directly.
Late last month, the provincial government appointed six Metis residents to tour the province and gather feedback about how the Metis community would like to see its elections run.
MNS president Dwayne Roth says he has no problem with the idea, and any positive information gathered from the meetings will be taken into account at the next MNS legislative assembly.
One thing that disappoints Roth, however, is the provincial government’s repeated refusal to recognize his leadership or that of his executive.
He says Metis Relations Minister Maynard Sonntag had indicated he was prepared to enter into a conciliation process with the MNS executive. However, that effort has apparently fallen apart.
Roth says Sonntag’s department appointed an arbitrator to head the conciliation hearings without the approval of the MNS — something Roth says the two parties had previously agreed was needed.
Roth says he’s not sure where relations between his group and the government are headed, but he won’t compromise his position.
Meanwhile, the Metis consultation hearings are slated to get underway in the province sometime this month.
They will be headed up by renowned Metis author and educator Dr. Maria Campbell and will tour all fifteen Metis regions.
No firm dates have been set.