Metis leadership challenged

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Metis politicians are feeding their followers false hope about the future of Native people, charges recently retired Metis association representative George Amato.

During the 61st annual general assembly of the Metis Association of Alberta in St. Paul on Aug. 12, Amato took centre stage and denounced the association's current policy makers

for ignoring the rights of Metis people in Alberta.

Before being asked to step off the stage by Zone 4 Vice-president Joe Blyan, Amato told the 300 Metis membership card holders in attendance that they are being "manipulated"

by their leaders.

Amato charged the current MAA leadership is showing little commitment to its members around the province because its giving up too much power to its regional offices.

"They've never been given any direction (by the MAA)," said Amato, who recently resigned as Zone 6 vice-presidency.

He said the MAA needs to get more directly involved in the functions of its entire organization to ensure its policies work to benefit Metis people.

"I love the Metis people. I love the MAA. But they (Metis politicians) give empty promises," he said.

August Collins, the assembly chairman, told Amato he was out of line with his accusations because he could incite others to rebel against the MAA leadership.

"The MAA does the best job it can (representing the Metis people in Alberta)," Collins said, when interviewed later.

"When people become dissatisfied and tell other people, it doesn't make the situation any easier to deal with," he said.

Collins said Amato could jeopardize the progress made by the MAA in advancing Metis rights if his criticisms are taken seriously.

However, Amato said the MAA isn't properly monitoring its regional offices, at the expense of its members.

He accused staff workers of filling their regional offices with non-Natives while qualified Metis people are denied the same positions.

"They are letting more and more non-Natives be hired in every zone and they don't even care about the Metis people," he charged.

"The Metis people are being abused," Amato declared.

Amato, who served four terms as zone 6 vice-president, recently gained his treaty rights through Bill C-31, the federal legislation which accords treaty status to non-status Indians.

But Amato said that wasn't the reason why he resigned his MAA post.

He told Windspeaker he decided to resign because he was "fed up" with being denied access to MAA funds for programs in his area.

He said his funding requests were always quashed at the local level and never made it to the provincial funding source.

"I became blocked by the regional zone. And it was like that all over. It was very frustrating," he said.

"If each zone were looked after we would have got something done."

Amato noted he has been involved in Metis politics for 14 years and called for the MAA to take a stronger role in dealing with its members at the grassroots level.

But Collins defended the role of the MAA, saying the leadership was never meant to control the regional offices or the local people.

"The functions of the MAA have been polarized in Edmonton for a long time. It was never the intention of the association to control peoples lives, or the regional offices," he said.

He said people are hired at regional offices because of their qualifications, not because of their heritage.

"People are hired there because they should be. We need skilled, experienced people, even if they're white."

But Dan Matell, former Zone 4 vice-president, wonders why the MAA has the power to fire people who disagree with their policies.

He said his membership was revoked last year because he questioned the MAA's funding arrangements.

"People are just tired of being abused. There is getting to be less and less support for the MAA," he claimed.

"How can you trust someone who doesn't care about you?" He asked.

Grand Prairie Metis elder Ernest Primeau agreed the MAA is having internal problems with its members but blaes it on impatience.

"Some people are just too anxious for results. I believe the MAA is trying to help the Metis people," said the 74 year old member.

"Some people are too militant and try to sway others to turn against our politicians. They just need time," he said.