Hardy welcomes input but Blyan will not satisfied

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Blyan has questions for Hardy at face to face meeting in Edmonton

About 50 members of the Metis Settlement Members Coalition headed by chairman Joe Blyan addressed the annual meeting of the Federation of Metis Settlements in Edmonton Dec. 11.

In a speech to the assembled councils of the eight Metis settlements, Blyan said he and his fellow settlement members were concerned over problems on the settlements and particularly with the Buffalo Lake (Caslan) settlement.

"We have met with the minister and discussed these concerns," he said. "All we ask is for an audit of all financial records . . . we have genuine concerns," he said.

Blyan also expressed concern over what he said was a "lack of accountability by both the federation and the individual councils. "We are the members of the settlement and we want you to be accountable to us . . . none of us here voted for you Randy (Hardy)," he said.

After Blyan's address several concerned settlement members took their turn to address the meeting.

Ray Larocque from the Elizabeth Settlement told the councillors that he was too unhappy with the present political system on the settlements and asked the federation to "look into the family system on the settlements."

"Right now, if you have the biggest family, then you have control," he said. "We need a ward or a constituency system to stop that happening."

After the discussion, president Randy Hardy thanked the members and then asked each council to reply to some or all of the complaints.

Kikino chairman Floyd Thompson said he and his council were working toward better financial systems but added "we are already accountable to you. Each month we have a statement of our financial state given to the general meeting . . .the membership is aware or can find out where the money goes," he said.

Buffalo Lake chairman Horace Patenaude said he and his council were working very hard and questioned why so many members of the group "do not bother to come to any of the meetings."

"We have general meetings on Resolution 18, but hardly anyone turns up," he complains.

Big Prairie (Peavine) spokesman Lawrence Cunningham echoed Patenaude's views and said he felt the issues the coalition had introduced to the meeting should rightfully be taken back to the local level.

"Take these problems to your councils . . . they are local matters and should be dealt with locally," he said.

After further discussion former Buffalo Lake chairman, Ernest Howse addressed the members saying he had "done nothing wrong."

I resigned for personal reasons," he said. "And if there was an audit I have nothing to fear," he added.

Howse resigned shortly after financial difficulties were uncovered at the settlement, due to "lack of funding."

"We started those projects because the members wanted them but then we ran out of money," he said.

As the meeting broke for lunch, Hardy again said he welcomed the input of the members and would be working with local councils in an effort to rectify any problems.

"I think this discussion today has been healthy and productive," he said in an interview after the meeting adjourned. "We recognized that these people have genuine concerns." However, Hardy said the federation had no future plans to meet with Blyan or other representatives of the coalition.

Shortly before the meeting adjourned, Blyan said he was not satisfied with the meeting and that the group will meet "again within the next week or so" to decide on further action.

Members of several settlements formed the coalition during a general meeting held at Buffalo Lake settlement Oct. 31 with a show of hands. The organization is currently headed by Blyan and has representatives from five of the eight Metis settlements.