(August 26, 2022) So what exactly are the Directors of Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) doing to earn their annual salaries? It can’t be based on filing monthly reports because the reports seem to be hit and miss, and one director hasn’t filed a report since February.
According to the MNBC website, the 11 directors each are paid anywhere from $48,267 to $110,000, but it doesn’t say how much more each is paid for portfolio and committee responsibilities. Most of the directors hold one or more portfolios and sit on multiple committees. So how much extra does that pay? And then the directors are reimbursed for any travel that they do – all of it tax-free. It all adds up to a large amount when they are making anywhere from 55 cents to 61 cents for every kilometer driven. As an example, a director who uses their vehicle to drive to a meeting that is 700 kilometers away will make as much as $854 (1400 kms. in total there and back) plus all meals and accommodations are covered – all tax free. It would be cheaper to fly but the director would miss out on the tax-free travel money.
So what about accountability for salaries and travel? There is none. Monthly activity reports for most directors are few and far between. In the case of one director – his last report was in February – and apparently he is also the treasurer – the guy responsible for reporting on the use of all monies by MNBC. These are funds that are intended for the use of Métis people that are provided to the non-profit organization primarily by the federal government, but monthly or quarterly reporting or accountability for the salaries and travel of the directors does not exist.
BC Métis Leader and MNBC’s former President Clara Morin Dal Col calls the lack of accountability shameful. She said, “Earlier this year this Board approved a meeting and travel budget of a record $2.4 million. This is an outrageous amount of money for an 11 member Board of Directors of a non-profit organization.”
Ms. Morin Dal Col said, “Each of these directors needs to be held accountable for every dollar that is spent, including their multi-million dollar travel and meeting budget, and their tax-free travel.
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For further information:
Contact Clara Morin Dal Col
BC Métis Leader
Email: cmdalcol@gmail.com
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