Infighting erupts among leadership of the Metis National Council

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Clement Chartier, president of the Metis National Council, delivers his speech during Second World war ceremonies to honour Metis veterans, Wednesday Nov. 11, 2009 at Juno Beach Centre, near Caen, Normandy, northern France. Bitter infighting has erupted among the leaders of the group that represents the country\'s Metis people.The rift pits four of the five heads of the provincial Metis organizations that sit on the Metis National Council\'s board of governors against a fifth member and Chartier.THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/David Vincent

OTTAWA – Bitter infighting has erupted among the leaders of the group that represents Metis people across Canada.

The rift pits four of the five heads of the provincial Metis organizations that sit on the Metis National Council’s board of governors against a fifth member and president Clement Chartier.

Internal correspondence shows the leaders of Metis groups in four provinces have been trying for months to hold a board meeting.

They say they want to address financial and management issues and set a date to elect a council president.

But Chartier — supported by council finance minister and fellow governor David Chartrand of the Manitoba Metis Federation — says a meeting will not be held until a court case involving the Saskatchewan organization runs its course.

All of this has raised tensions between board members.

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