Feud over severence splits assembly

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The applause and standing ovation which followed Sam Sinclair's farewell speed as president of the Metis Association of Alberta changed quickly to angry words and an attack on Sinclair's leadership when a resolution that $25,000 in severence pay be given to Sinclair was introduced to the assembly.

During a heated and at times emotional debate, MAA treasurer Paul Sinclair advised delegates to vote against the amendment because of the MAA deficit.

"We are already $49,000 in the hole from last year and $9,000 this year. I am the treasurer and the MAA has very little money," said Sinclair.

Zone 4 vice-president Ben Courtrille questioned Sinclair's performance over the Metis Urban Housing crisis saying the president could have prevented the corporation "from going down."

"I see housing folding and I also know that some members worked for housing for sever years and only received two week severence pay. He could of stopped housing from going down," said Courtrille.

Sinclair then took the floor and in a moving plea to the assembly, said that this was the first time a president had been put under this amount of pressure.

"In eight years I have had no legal time off. In 1979, I left a job that paid me $40,000 a year to come to the MAA. I began here at $25,000 and I knew we could bring up the president's salary, and we did to $50,000 a year," said Sinclair. "Also money we received from Secretary of State, $150,000 is in a bank collecting interest. We never had this before. We have $20 million worth of housing in Edmonton and $8.2 million for economic development coming. I would like you to take this into consideration, I deserve consideration and I have no job to go to," Sinclair said.

Zone 4 director Ron LaRocque said he believed the board of directors had already turned down Sinclair's request and that was where it should remain.

"The board voted against it. Last year's annual assembly was cancelled because the housing division collapsed and put the MAA $150,000 in the hole. This assembly has a budget of $40,000 and it is going to cost $65,000. It cannot be afforded by the MAA," said LaRocque.

A vote was taken then a recount was called for when MAA members said vote counters were not counting a raise of hands properly. The first count was against the motion 104 ? 93.

But a second count revealed a second defeat, this time by 92 ? 132 against.

Minutes later a motion was passed giving an honorarium of $15,000 to Sinclair for his many years of involvement as president of the MAA. "I would like to thank my supporters for at least coming up with a reasonable settlement," Sinclair commented after the final vote.

The request was brought to the Metis Association of Alberta's annual assembly held at Lac Cardinal, August 16 - 16 after the executive board of the MAA turned down an earlier request by Sinclair for four months of severence pay. The board voted three in favor, four against and two abstaining.

The resolution was amended stating that if funds were available the president should receive $25,000, six months pay.