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Newly formed locals are being blamed for causing division amongst Edmonton's Metis people.
Local 1885's president Stan (Butch) Plante blames the small turnout at his group's annual assembly on March 19, at which he was reinstalled by acclamation, on the formation of five more locals in the city. He believes Metis people are breaking up into smaller groups, as they join locals closer to where they live and unity is suffering.
"The boundaries do have some problems and they could be more suitable," said Plante. To resolve this, he added, the locals have formed a special joint committee with their main task being to establish distinct boundaries, open boundaries or no boundaries at all.
The fact that new locals have severely taxed membership, explained Plante, should not discourage former members from continuing their involvement with 1885. However, as voting members, they are restricted and must follow the constitution which allows a person to be a member of one local at any time. Plante further stated there is a movement afoot to have all the Edmonton locals amalgamated under one common banner, a proposed Metis Council of Edmonton.
Contacted after the meeting, Metis Association president Larry Desmeules, said new locals are the prerogative of the membership and that, while their formation requires ratification from the MAA "there hasn't been one turned down yet." Desmeules did not further elaborate, saying, "It's a Zone 4 problem."
MAA vice-president for Zone 4 Dan Martel agrees the issue is problematic. Martel feels it is unfair and unconstitutional to restrict membership to individuals who live in another part of the city.
"If someone from the south side wants to participate in the west end, it is unfair to deny them that right," he explained.
"We're getting caught up in our own bureaucracies," he adds, believing people should have the freedom to do what they want.
The matter is scheduled to be dealt with by the joint committee in the near future.
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