Suspended regional directors defiant in fight against Métis Nation-Saskatchewan

Hannah Spray · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 26, 2025 5:43 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

A brace of suspended Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S) determination directors are not backing down from their combat with the organization.

On Tuesday, Sherry McLennan and Wendy Gervais were barred from the room at the Dakota Dunes league centre southbound of Saskatoon where recently elected members of the MN-S government were being sworn in. They arrived to find the docket already listed them arsenic "not successful attendance."

The 2 determination directors were some re-elected successful the MN-S predetermination connected May 24 — McLennan successful Western Region 2 and Gervais successful Western Region 3.

McLennan and Gervais were barred from attending meetings of the Provincial Métis Council (PMC) aft a harassment ailment against them and 2 different people.

The 2 determination directors said they are constricted successful what they tin publically share about the process, but that they didn't person owed process and the PMC has nary close to barroom them from their governance roles.

"The constitution of the Métis-Nation Saskatchewan is precise clear," Gervais said Thursday, lasting beside McLennan astatine a quality league successful Prince Albert that was packed with astir 100 supporters. "Regional representatives clasp constitutionally protected roles, and determination is nary mechanics that allows for our removal without owed process.

"Further, arsenic our ineligible counsel has noted, immoderate effort to region america indispensable originate from the citizens of our regions, not from governmental actors down closed doors."

MN-S responded with a statement.

"The ailment was the culmination of the ongoing harassment of the PMC's sole employee, MN–S Chief Executive Officer Richard Quintal, by McLennan, Gervais, and 2 different antecedently elected individuals," the connection said.

"In effect to the CEO's complaint, the 4 individuals filed antagonistic complaints against the CEO."

MN-S said an probe into the complaints sided with Quintal and that his quality rights had been violated.

The researcher besides said the 4 counter-claims were unfounded and "they volition not beryllium permitted to be immoderate PMC meetings until specified apology is provided."

At the time, McLennan, Gervais and the different 2 radical accused of harassment said successful a connection that they were "unilaterally sanctioned" and that the harassment probe was "improperly conducted."

On Thursday, McLennan laid immoderate actions they privation MN-S enactment to perpetrate to:

• Acknowledge procedural failings successful the handling of the complaint.
• Commit to an attack that respects the rights and dignity of each complainants, particularly women.
• Ensure that the harassment complaints are taking earnestly and reinvestigated done a fair, autarkic and respectful process.
• Guarantee that each aboriginal investigations adhere strictly to the policy, including communal statement connected a third-party researcher and timelines that let for harmless and supported participation.
• Reaffirm a commitment to the information and inclusion of Métis women within all levels of the MN-S.
• Restore McLennan and Gervais's seats astatine the array instantly and let them to instrumentality their oaths of office.

Gervais said this contention is bigger than the suspension.

"This is astir the integrity of our governance, astir the close of elected representatives to bash their occupation they were chosen to do, astir ensuring that Métis women are nary longer silenced for speaking up, and that interior grievances, nevertheless valid they are, are handled done just and culturally respectful processes, not done governmental punishment."

McLennan said the suspensions are an effort to stifle their voices.

"I judge my dependable has been unopen retired due to the fact that I'm a pistillate and I truly enactment my Western Region 2 and I bring their voices to the table," McLennan said.

The MN-S effect connection said the sanctions against the women will stay successful effect until they publically apologize.

MN–S president Glen McCallum said it is a quality rights issue.

"One of our unit was harassed successful a precise nationalist forum and our government prides itself connected being capable to supply a harmless enactment environment, escaped of that benignant of treatment by elected [officials] oregon otherwise, and person taken the indispensable steps to code the situation," helium said.