MAA in financial and election crisis

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The Metis Association of Alberta is in a crisis situation says ousted member Ron LaRocque who claims the association is not only struggling with a $80,000 debt but must deal with allegations of election mismanagement.

The debt occurred, says LaRocque after an honorarium of $15,000 was given to former president Sam Sinclair and severance pay totalling $40,000 was paid to two ex-employees who were dismissed shortly after the election. LaRocque claims a further $25,000 was overspent on the annual assembly.

These figures were neither confirmed or denied by Zone 4 vice-president, Dan Martell. However, he added that the issue of the dismissal of former employees Donna Woodward and Elda Goodin was discussed at the board meeting.

Woodward, who now works at the Canadian Native Friendship Centre in Edmonton says she received a letter of dismissal Sept. 14.

"There was no reason given. I was told just to pack up and leave," she said adding she had worked for the association for four years.

However, Woodward would not confirm or deny the figure of $15,000 severance pay alleged by LaRocque saying it was her "own business".

"I just want to get on with my life and forget about this whole thing," she said.

However, Elda Goodin who was employed for almost 14 years says she is bitter over her treatment and is in dire financial difficulty as her telephone was cut off and she is unable to pay her rent.

"I came into work on the 14th (September) and say another girl sitting at my desk. I asked what she was doing and then someone handed me a letter telling me I lost my job. I was so surprised."

Woodward and Goodin claim they did not receive any verbal communication from president Larry Desmeules although their letters were signed by Desmeules.

However, Goodin says she has not received any severance pay although after working for 14 years she says she feels she is entitled to "at least a year's salary."

Both ex-employees say they are mystified over their dismissal saying neither were involved in the politics of the organization and that Goodin herself was unable to vote during the election as she had recently regained her Indian status.

LaRocque, who was ousted as a member of the association at the first board meting after the election, says he is also puzzled over the treatment of the two ex-employees particularly as the association is already in debt.

"This (severance pay and annual assembly funds) totals some $80,000 that the MAA must or has paid for which there is no budget. Where will that money come from ? the only place it can ? that which was allocated to self-government," he says.

LaRocque is also disputing the MAA election and has sent a letter listing his concerns to Chief Electoral Officer, John Sinclair.

But Sinclair says he "doesn't have to investigate such allegation at all," adding that he is not yet sure of how the investigation "would work because it has never been done before."

Sinclair says he felt the election was fair and democratic and that he had consulted a lawyer before making any decisions. However, he says he is prepared to meet LaRocque in court.

"But I don't think he wants to do that. He won't go through with it. But I am ready and my lawyer is ready if necessary," he said.

Although Sinclair said he was afraid to answer the allegations because it "would give ammunition to the other side," Sinclair said the allegation that he was biased because of his brother, Paul Sinclair, had "no basis in fact."

"Paul goes his way and I go mine. I tried to make the election fair," he said.

"It means a lot to keep this association going and this fighting could destroy the association," he added.

However, the Zone 4 returning officer joined the fray this week saying she had seen many irregularities in the election procedures.

Freezien Norris, who was fired from her position says she was dismissed because Sinclair was late arriving at the counting station Sept. 12.

"I was waiting but he din't turn up so when I went home I received a letter firing me. Larry Desmeules and Len Gauthier came in their car to give me the letter," she said.

"I know what I saw," she added.

Norris, who claims she is still owed about $370 in expenses, says Sinclair would not allow her to examine oaths, vouchers and ballots on her own.

"I was returning officer at the last (1985) election and this wasn't the procedure then," she said.

However, a bitter and angry Norris whose father Malcolm Norris helped form the Metis Association in the 1920s says she is going to burn her membership card and look for an organization that will look after her concerns.

"I am the president of the Alberta Beach local and I've been treated unfairly. This is detrimental not only to the association but to the Metis people. We want a different leadership and we don't want to be in an association that treats people this way," she said.

"We don't want to be in an association that kicks its membership in the head," she added.

President Larry Desmeules is also disputing poll at the Owl River local claiming there were more votes and registered members.

However, Owl River director Emiel Cardinal says the president is "out to lunch."

"We are a strong local here and we have a lot of people joining us because we do things," he said. "Larry doesn't know what he is talking about, there is nothing wrong in Owl River. He is just upset because no one voted for him."

Cardinal says he too is upset over the results of the election and predicts Jo-Ann Daniels will win the 1990 election.

President Larry Desmeules was unavailable for comment this week as he is attending a Metis National Council conference. Desmeules will be given the opportunity to comment for next editions of Windspeaker.