Metis Senator Risks Senate Seat with Election Call

Metis Senator Risks Senate Seat with Election Call

Wednesday, November 24, 2004 at 14:53

A Metis senator from Ile-a-la-Crosse appears to be the first MNS official to publicly break ranks over the controversial Metis election — a decision that might cost him his position on the Senate.

The MNS has repeatedly rejected calls for a new election, but Senator Jim Favel says a new vote is the only way to solve the current impasse, which Favel says has resulted in the –quote — “continued embarrassment of Metis people”.

Favel also says he agrees with the Lampard report’s assessment of this year’s election, and says any new vote has to be run by an independent third party.

MNS president Dwayne Roth is not impressed with Favel’s remarks, and says the Senate is reviewing whether Favel broke the rules by publicly stating a political position.

Favel says he’s speaking up now because he worries about what impact the election dispute will have on established Metis institutions in this province, including the Gabriel Dumont Institute and the Dumont Technical Institute.