(October 15, 2023) Less than 100 Citizens at the recent Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) Annual General Meeting voted to approve a flawed resolution that allows for new election rules to be brought in by the Métis Nation Governing Assembly (MNGA) after an election has been called.
The resolution “Regulatory Authority for Elections” was approved by just 98 MNBC Citizens after a lengthy debate at the AGM. Twenty-one other citizens voted against it, while another 5 abstained. MNBC reports that they have 24,000 registered Citizens, but only a total of 124 were in attendance or online when the resolution was debated and eventually approved. Before approving it, one amendment was made regarding the issue of conflict of interest given that current Board members running for re-election would be able to vote on any new election rule, but even the amendment failed to properly address the issue. The amendment says only that “any elected representative, who is a declared candidate in a current election, who is a member of the MNGA, may not propose such a rule”. It does not say that they can’t vote for a new rule.
MNBC claims to be a “government”, but what other government allows for new rules to be brought in after an election has been called? Real democracies don’t, except in the case of some natural disasters or world conflicts where election dates or writ periods have to be changed. Real governments introduce and approve the rules before an election so that every candidate knows what all the rules are going into the election. If the rules are so important and essential, then why would you not bring them in before the election?
BC Métis Leader and former MNBC President Clara Morin Dal Col said, “It is most unfortunate that this resolution was approved, and the feeble attempt to address the conflict of interest issue of current Board members being able to vote for it was laughable.”
Ms. Morin Dal Col, who has announced that she will be seeking the MNBC Presidency in the 2024 election said, “The bottom line is that in a democracy new election rules should not be brought in after an election has been called. If they are so critical, then introduce them before an election and debate them.”
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For further information:
Contact Clara Morin Dal Col
Candidate for MNBC Presidency
Email: cmdalcol@gmail.com
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