Just over a month before the Metis Nation-Saskatchewan election, concerns of harassment and the handling of these accusations have become public.
Earlier this week, four elected representatives from the MN-S say they were unfairly removed from participating in future Provincial Metis Council meetings over harassment accusations.
In a public statement on the matter, the four women say they have been barred from the meetings based on what they say was an “improperly conducted” investigation on these allegations.
The four women listed on the statement include Kathie Pruden Nansel, Regional Director WR2A, Sherry McLennan Regional Director WR2, Wendy Gervais, Regional Director WR3, and Lisa McCallum, Provincial Secretary.
At concern, is two harassment complaints filed this year.
In January, the women say they filed a harassment complaint against an MN-S staff member. A month later, the same staff member would file a responding harassment claim against the four women.
At concern for the four women and the MN-S is conflicting claims over how the investigation into these matters were handled.
The women say the MN-S did not hire a third-party investigator and they weren’t properly allowed to participate in the investigation process.
Meanwhile, the Metis Nation asserts they did hire a third-party investigator and the women did have opportunity to speak during the investigation.
MBC Radio News reached out Sherry McLennan, one of the women on the statement, but did not receive a reply back.
When the statement was first made public, MBC Radio News also reached out to the MN-S for comment.
MBC Radio News was initially informed that the issue was an internal human resources matter and no comment would be made, however, a full statement would be posted to their website the following day.
The statement from the women can be found here – Public statment from regional directors
The follow-up statement from the MN-S Provincial Metis Council is found here – MN-S statement about the investigation