Métis Nation-Saskatchewan election 'pivotal' for Métis people, province

The upcoming election for the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan is "pivotal" for Métis people in the province, according to John Lagimodiere, a Métis publisher of Eagle Feather News.

Advanced polls opened earlier this month and so far more than 1,000 people have voted in the first Métis Nation-Saskatchewan election since September 2012. 

Lagimodiere said because it has been so long since the last election, Métis people in Saskatchewan have been "left behind" in important federal matters and have been left without a unified provincial voice.

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"It's pretty pivotal right now," he said citing land claims in Manitoba, education, health, and the federal government's obligations to the Métis people after the Daniels decision.

The organization's funding was halted in November 2014 because it failed to honour agreements that mandated there be at least two Métis Nation-Saskatchewan legislative assemblies per year. 

"Because of infighting and old political battles and a willingness on people's part to sabotage the Métis Nation, those meetings didn't happen," Lagimodiere said.

'Circumstances beyond our control'

Gerald Morin, vice-president of the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan and a candidate in the upcoming election, disagreed with what he called Lagimodiere's characterization of the situation and said he was wrong with regards to the delay.

Morin said the delay was due to the health issues of the chief electoral officer, who resigned in December.

"It wasn't anything any of the leadership did to deliberately postpone the election. It was circumstances beyond our control," Morin said.

"Believe you me, we wanted to have that election as soon as practically possible and that's essentially what we have done considering the circumstances that we were dealt with."

Both Lagimodiere and Morin urged voters to cast their ballots on Saturday. 

"That's really essentially, in the long run, how you ensure there's the greatest possible accountability and transparency and responsibility of your government and the leaders to the people is by participating in your democracy," Morin said.