Clem Paul has been indefinitely suspended without pay. - NNSL file photo

Paul, who has served as alliance president since its formation in 1996, called the board a "lynch mob" and accused it of organizing a "coup."

"I'm toast," he said Thursday.

According to Paul, the board discovered "irregularities" in his use of the alliance Visa credit card and company pickup truck. It also faulted him for hiring a worker who was receiving payments from the WCB.

Paul said he was out of the office for two weeks on sick leave when acting president Bob Turner called a special board meeting. Paul chaired the Dec. 1 meeting, which proceeded according to a normal agenda.

Board member Irene LeMouel made a motion to suspend him under an agenda item at the end of the meeting called 'other business,' said Paul. The motion was seconded by Turner and passed with the support of members Chantelle Burke, Eddie Mercredi and Ernie Camsell.

Paul said the board won't consider reinstating him before completing an internal audit, he said.

Paul accused Turner of organizing the ouster to further his own leadership ambitions.

At the same board meeting, the NSMA called an election for Feb. 6, about four months before the scheduled date.

Turner and the other board members did not return Yellowknifer calls.

Paul said he is seeking legal counsel to fight for his job and his credibility. The alliance constitution requires 14 days of written notice for suspension, he said.

"And I wasn't even given 14 seconds notice."

"Maybe they think I cooked the books," he said. "But I didn't. I'm not a thief and I'm not a liar. I'm a very hard worker and I'm proud of what I've done.

"They won't shame me in front of my children and my grandchildren. I'm going to fight for what I believe to be right, and that's my leadership seat back until the time the people want to vote me out."

Paul served as president of both the Metis Alliance and its investment arm, North Slave Metis Holdings (NSMH), both wholly owned by 350 Metis.

Last year, NSMH books showed $17 million worth of transactions and about $1.7 million in profit.

The business owns a catering company with a contract at BHP's Ekati mine and had a contract to supply steel to Diavik.

The North Slave Metis Alliance was formed in 1996 with the co-operation of three Metis organizations: Fort Smith Local 64, Yellowknife Local 66 and the Yellowknife Metis Council. Paul has been the president of the Metis Council since 1990.

The goal of the alliance was to create a functioning organization with the ability to sign impact benefit agreements with the mining industry. The alliance has since shaken hands on IBA deals with both Diavik and BHP Billiton.

He made his share of enemies, especially after he culled alliance membership lists in 1998.

One of the people cut out was Bill Enge, president of Local 66, who has since launched a lawsuit against the alliance. The next court date for that suit is Dec. 11.

"In my view, Clem Paul is corrupt," Enge said yesterday.

"He's a tyrant who wishes to establish a tyranny with himself at the top. But it appears that his greed finally got the better of him because his own supporters, who sit on the board of directors, are the ones who saw fit to fire him."

Sholto Douglas, the president of Local 64, is also a plaintiff in Enge's suit against the alliance.

Not a supporter of Paul, he nonetheless said the alliance won't regain any credibility until it solves the membership question.

"As long as there's uncertainty at the NSM, ... there won't be an opportunity for a lands and resources claim to deal ... based on the aboriginal rights and title of Metis in the North Slave," he said.