(July 3, 2025) The Board of Directors of Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) approved a budget for fiscal year 2025/26 on May 29th but none of the numbers, including the total amount of proposed expenditures have been revealed to MNBC Citizens through a post on MNBC's website. Why the secrecy?
The minutes of the Board of Directors meeting on May 29, 2025 show that the Board unanimously approved the budget for fiscal year 2025/26 which began 2 months earlier on April 1st of this year, but not a single number in the budget is revealed. Where is the accountability and transparency? MNBC has not posted a budget since April 2022.
Let’s be very clear – almost every dollar that this non-profit organization receives is from government – mostly the federal government – so they are taxpayer dollars. These tens of millions of dollars are intended to make life better for Métis people in British Columbia. These dollars are not owned by this MNBC Board. Who do they think they are when they don’t share the budget details with the MNBC citizens through a post on the MNBC website?
Every single Board member voted for the budget, but yet the budget itself is not posted for all MNBC citizens to see. Back in May, when the current Treasurer filed his annual Treasurer’s report late, he talked about “…MNBC’s commitment to transparency and accountability through clear accessible financial reporting.” So much for that commitment given this latest budget and its total lack of any numbers.
We will speculate here that this budget is probably set at more than $110 million, and we will also speculate here that the cost of staffing will be at least $40 million which if true, is absolutely obscene. When we receive information about this budget we will share it with citizens to read.
The former President of MNBC Clara Morin DalCol says, “This Board has no right in not sharing the budget with the people. This is the people’s money – it is not the Board’s. Why are they not posting the budget for everyone to see? Are there some expenditures that they do not want citizens to see – like staffing costs and consultant costs? Each Board member is wearing this one for it not being posted.”
Ms. Morin DalCol says, “MNBC citizens should email every Board member and the CEO and demand that the budget be posted. MNBC citizens should also contact their community president and ask them why they are not demanding MNBC post the budget.”
“When I was President of MNBC,” she says, “The current Treasurer who was then the President of the Victoria community, would have a fair amount to say about MNBC finances, but now under his watch we have a budget in which not a single number is revealed. And they actually have the gall and audacity to call themselves a government.”
Ms. Morin DalCol says, “As President of Red River Métis – British Columbia I invite you to join our new grassroots organization based right here in British Columbia and 100% committed to making a difference for Métis people in British Columbia through issue work and advocacy with the provincial and federal governments.”
She says, “You can join us and still keep your membership with another organization.”
The President of Red River Métis - British Columbia says, “But given what we see happening with MNBC, why would anyone still support that organization?”
Join Red River Métis British Columbia today, by clicking on
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