Elected members of the Métis Nation – Saskatchewan gathered in Saskatoon Friday morning for their first official meeting in almost two years.
At the end of December, a judge ordered the organization to hold a provincial council meeting by Jan. 23.
An internal battle between President Robert Doucette and a group of area directors led by Vice-President Gerald Morin has meant the MNS has been unable to set a meeting date for the past few years.
The federal government cut the organization’s funding in November for failure to hold a legislative assembly.
One of the agenda items at this weekend’s meeting will be setting a date for the next assembly.
Doucette’s term as president does not expire until the fall of 2016 but he says he is open to an early election if the organization determines this is the best way to move forward.
“Who knows, maybe when we got to a Métis Nation Legislative Assembly, somebody will make a motion to have an early election,” he says. “And you know what, I’m okay with that.”
However, Morin says while he is not necessarily opposed to an early election, the MN-S needs to be fully financially accountable and transparent first so voters have a clear picture of what is going on before heading to the polls.
“When people go to the polls, people have to know the state of affairs of the Métis Nation – Saskatchewan,” he says.
Doucette says he will not be seeking another term as president.
The two-day meeting is being held at the Travelodge.