A photo taken of Mary Ann Morin outside Prince Albert Court of Queen's Bench on Dec. 20, 2019. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Political Unrest

Métis Nation treasurer dispute faces appeal

Apr 3, 2020 | 2:48 PM

A case involving the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan (MNS) and a woman who claims to rightfully hold the position of treasurer is headed back to the courts.

The MNS has formally appealed the decision last month by a Prince Albert Court of Queen’s Bench Justice, who ruled Mary Ann Morin did not issue a formal resignation in the fall of 2017.

Morin was elected treasurer in May 2017. Four months after she was elected, she wrote a letter in which she was vocal about perceived lack of transparency by the MNS Executive. She wrote she would resign if her concerns were not met, but the executive accepted the letter as a resignation, and on Sept. 23, 2017, a vote was held at a provincial métis council meeting to accept it.

In his written decision, Justice Gary Meschisnick stated Morin’s words cannot be read as an immediate resignation. paNOW has obtained a copy of the appeal, filed on March 27. Among the five arguments is the claim Meschisnick improperly characterized the resignation tendered by Morin, and that he failed to properly identify and apply the law in relation to Morin’s resignation.

The MNS also claims Justice Meschisnick erred in law in finding Morin had a right to withdraw her motion prior to the same being considered by the Provincial Métis Council.

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According to the appeal notice, the MNS is seeking for Morin’s original application to the courts to be dismissed, and for the MNS to be compensated for court costs.

The date of the appeal hearing date has not yet been set.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell