MNS Leaders Accept “80 %” Of Government Proposal
Monday, November 07, 2005 at 13:25
Officials with the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan say they’re encouraged by a proposal pitched by the province the other day to end the long-standing election dispute that’s embroiled the organization.
However, president Dwayne Roth says he and the rest of the Provincial Metis Council have a problem with a couple of the conditions put forward by the province.
The government is willing to fund a Metis Nation Legislative Assembly in order to put the wheels in motion for a new MNS election.
In return, it’s asking the MNS to agree to have the results of the MNLA ratified by a general assembly of Metis people and to have any new vote run by a goverment-appointed electoral officer and overseen by a hand-picked advisory committee.
Roth says Metis leaders don’t like those last two proposals, because they firmly believe in keeping elections MNS-controlled.
Roth says that’s why MNS officials want a meeting with Metis Relations Minister Maynard Sonntag in the near future to sort out the details of the government’s proposal — a plan Roth feels is “80 per cent” satisfactory.
Roth also says he and the rest of the Provincial Metis Council will abide by whatever is decided at the MNLA, even if it’s something that the leaders disagree with philosophically.