Maria Canton
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 23/99) - Court proceedings between the Metis Nation Local 64 and 66 and the North Slave Metis Alliance ended quickly when their action was struck out in Supreme Court Monday.

Originally proceeding as locals, president of Local 66 Bill Enge and president of Local 64 Sholto Douglas, made a decision last Friday to apply to be named as individual members of the Alliance.

"They should be suing personally, as grieved members, rather than the presidents of the locals," said their counsel, Sheila MacPherson, outside the courtroom.

"This is really just a procedural problem."

Because the Alliance, who's president is Clem Paul, is on a membership basis and not an institutional one, the locals do not have any legal channel through which to pursue action against the internal workings of the Alliance.

A legal mechanism is in place, however, for individual members to bring forward any internal problems they may have.

"The decision to change was more or less made at the eleventh hour," said Enge after the case was adjourned.

"It became evident that it would be prudent for us to proceed on a membership basis."

Enge and Douglas are pursuing legal action against the Alliance in an attempt to have a special assembly arranged for the purpose of reviewing memberships of disenfranchised members. As well, the plaintiffs want democratic elections held under the original North Slave constitution and bylaws.

Counsel for the Alliance, Austin Marshall, says his clients are satisfied with the court action.

"We were wanting to have the action struck out because as locals they do not have any standing," he said.

"That was accomplished and as of right now, the case is over with."

Enge, however, says he intends on pursing the matter and expects few delay in proceeding.

"The ground work has already been done, we're expecting to move forward expeditiously," said Enge.

"It's like painting a house a different colour, but the house is still there."

Enge claims that more than 40 North Slave Metis Alliance memberships were unlawfully revoked by Paul last year.