Political infighting blamed
Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Mar 05/01) - Sentenced to death by a sister association and hand-cuffed by some of its executive, the Metis Nation of the Northwest Territories has died.
"The North Slave Metis Tribal Council murdered the Metis Nation," said Bill Enge, acting chief executive officer for the Metis Nation as he announced the organization was closing its doors, effective today.
"This organization was viable as long as the North Slave and South Slave Metis maintained support."
That support is no more and the North Slave Metis Tribal Council was planning to call for the Metis Nation NWT to wind up its affairs in a resolution to be tabled at the next annual general meeting.
Robert Tordiff, president of the North Slave Metis, could not be reached for comment.
But in a copy of the resolution obtained by News/North, the tribal council said they were frustrated with membership issues in the Metis Nation and felt politicking within the organization neutralized its effectiveness.
On top of this, George Morin resigned as Nation president in December, citing financial disarray within the organization and personal stress.
The organization could not get anyone to fill the presidential gap after its vice-president, Ernest Firth resigned in January and its member-at-large, Bernie MacNeil passed on the position, leaving Enge, who was secretary-treasurer, holding the bag.
With the loss the president and vice-president, Enge could not authorize any banking transactions because he needed the signature of another member of the executive.
Without access to funds, Enge could not call a general assembly to appoint a new president and vice-president nor could he drum up support from the organization's board.
He was told to wind it up.
Both Firth and MacNeil belong to the Mackenzie Metis which is currently competing with the North Slave Metis Tribal Council for core funding from Heritage Canada -- the Metis Nation's source of revenue.
Enge said he is turning over the winding down of the organization to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories under section 28 and 26 of the Societies Act.
"This is a serious disappointment," said Enge.
"The Metis Nation was a national voice and had the ear of Ottawa," he said.
