(March 17, 2022) Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) is going after an MNBC Citizen who challenged the Métis credentials of former MNBC Vice President Lissa Smith. Even though any citizen has the right under the MNBC Citizenship Act to challenge another individual’s citizenship and to be able to appeal the matter to the MNBC Senate, MNBC wants Shannon Marks to pay a bill of $2974.20 to cover “…expenses incurred personally by Ms. Smith”.
The letter dated February 28, 2022, comes months after the appeal decision was rendered by the MNBC Senate Tribunal in favour of Smith, and a few months after Marks ran against Smith for the presidency of MNBC in a by-election in December. Smith won the by-election.
The expense claim includes $511.70 for meals and incidentals for Smith and another individual who attended the Senate Tribunal Hearing with her. It also includes $466.30 for hotels, and $1620 in ‘missed income’ for the individual who attended with her, and travel costs. None of the expense items have any details provided.
BC Métis Leader Clara Morin Dal Col said today, “Sending out such a bill to an MNBC Citizen has never been done before, and its timing, coming months after the Senate Tribunal Hearing decision, is very strange.”
Ms. Morin Dal Col said, “A bill like this sends a chill to anyone thinking of challenging the Métis qualifications of any Métis Citizen, even though challenging an individual’s qualifications is fully permitted under the MNBC Citizenship Act.”
The BC Métis Leader asks, “Why is such a bill coming out months after the decision, and did the Registrar recommend this action to the Board or did she do this on her own? If she recommended it, did the Board approve this action, when did they approve it, and who from the Board voted on it?
Ms. Morin Dal Col adds, ”Once again, like other recent issues, accountability and transparency are missing.”
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For further information:
Contact Clara Morin Dal Col
BC Métis Leader
Email: cmdalcol@gmail.com
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