Feud goes on: Ex-directors of Zone 4 denied seats

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A squabble involving former Metis Regional Council Zone 4 representatives Ben Courtrille and Ron LaRocque on one side, and the Metis Association of Alberta (MAA) and interim officials of Zone 4 on the other, heated up again last Wednesday when the two men tried to take official part in a MAA board meeting in Edmonton.

Witnesses said a shouting match erupted between the two men and some MAA board members. Courtrille and LaRocque were told they could not actively participate in the meeting and would not be recognized as board members because they had been replaced by two new authorized representatives of Zone 4.

The chairperson of the MAA meeting ruled the former officials could, like any other Metis person, witness the proceedings from the visitors' section, but could not take part in the meeting. After some heated exchanges, the pair left and did not return. The meeting continued without incident, through the afternoon.

Several days earlier, a court injunction was served on Courtrille and LaRocque after they allegedly disrupted a Zone 4 annual assembly on April 26 in Edson. The court order, issued by E. Picard, Madam Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta, was based on allegations by Zone 4 officers that Courtrille and LaRocque acted without council approval in a recent attempt to remove the board of directors of the Metis Urban Housing Corporation (MUHC).

The failed attempt occurred last month when Courtrille and LaRocque sat on a committee which also tried to fire MUHC Regional Coordinator Peter Pelletier and suspended Housing Manager Larry Desmeules' contract with the $19-million corporation. These actions were stopped when the MUHC Tenants Association in a rally last month at the Edmonton Friendship Centre, displayed its disapproval.

The Zone 4 council also asked, at the Zone 4 assembly, why MUHC employees had not been paid for a month.

Courtrille and LaRocque refused to discuss the corporation at the assembly because they were defendants in a court case involving MUHC and their participation in any discussion of the organization might prejudice that legal proceeding.

A motion was made at the assembly to stop any further talks about MUHC. Despite their earlier unwillingness to discuss the MUHC, the men cast the deciding votes. The motion passed 8 to 7.

According to the injunction, when urged by members of the Zone 4 council not to take part in the vote, "the Defendants (Courtrille and LaRocque) became extremely agitated and proceeded to disrupt the Assembly by refusing to come to order, by approaching the Chairman and violently wrestling the microphone away from him, coming into physical contact with the Chairman in the process; by physically resisting the attempts of the Sergeant at Arms of the Assembly to remove the Defendants by wrestling with the Sergeant at Arms; by improperly and without authority removing certain books and records of the Plaintiff (Zone 4) from the Assembly; and by attempting to coerce the Recording Secretary of the Assembly, Sharron Johnstone, into leaving her position."

Council member and Zone 4 treasurer Stan Plante had also alleged that Courtrille improperly authorized disbursement of over $1,000 of council funds for the assembly.

Courtrille and LaRocque have taken a counter action against MAA President Sam Sinclair, acting Zone 4 Vice-President Mike Woodward and acting director Russel Plante. The former Zone 4 officials claim their rights to function as elected council members had been violated. They are seeking $25,000 in damages.

Stan Belcourt, who was appointed the Sergeant at Arms of the assembly, made a complaint of assault to Edson RCMP against LaRocque. He later declined to press changes, according to the RCMP. The Edson RCMP are still investigating a formal complaint of assault by council member Dan Martel against one of his counterparts, Reg LaRocque. The complaints followed incidents that occurred at the assembly.

LATE NEWS BULLETIN

Just beforepress time Thursday, a court order issued by Mr. Justice F.B. Feehan and based on an affidavit sworn May 14 by Ron LaRocque, states that Ben Courtrille will return to his position has vice-president of the Metis Regional Council Zone 4. The order affirms that former Zone 4 director Ron LaRocque is replaced by acting director Mike Woodward, who had replaced Courtrille on an interim basis as Zone 4 vice-president.

Both Courtrille and Ron LaRocque are reinstated as members of the Metis Association of Alberta board of directors.

A Zone 4 meeting is scheduled for May 24 and 25.