MNBC Board Gives Mineault The Boot – What Took Them So Long?

(April 10, 2026) The Board of Directors of Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) has removed President Walter Mineault for “breaching his fiduciary duty to MNBC and Métis Citizens”. In announcing the decision yesterday the Board said, “We reached this decision after careful consideration of an independent review into President Mineault’s conduct, and advice and counsel given to us by our Métis Nation Governing Assembly”.

 

The Board also included an independent assessment from lawyer Wally Opal regarding the suitability of Mineault to continue holding office, in light of serious allegations of misconduct and breach of fiduciary duty. Mr. Opal concluded “…that the Board ought to dismiss President Mineault from his position”.

 

In his assessment, Mr. Opal references a report prepared by lawyer Robyn Gervais, who was appointed by the Board to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations. Mr. Opal says that “the Gervais Investigation Report explicitly concludes that the threshold for breach of fiduciary duty, which requires evidence of dishonesty, disloyalty, or bad faith has been met.”

 

While the Gervais Investigation Report has never been released publically, in his assessment Mr. Opal references findings in the report regarding misconduct by Mineault including breaches of fiduciary duty and conflict of interest, Human Rights Code violations and gender-based discrimination, misuse of authority, retaliation and intimidation, and unauthorized unilateral actions and confidentiality breaches.

 

One example of several regarding his misconduct references bullying and harassment. Ms. Gervais’ investigation found that Mineault “… engaged in a sustained pattern of hostility, which included berating staff, swearing at directors over the phone, and publicly criticizing directors during meetings to the point of causing physiological stress responses. At the Fraser Valley Métis Association Annual General Meeting, he acted so aggressively that another director had to physically intervene to prevent a physical altercation”.

 

In another example referenced by Mr. Opal he says, “Ms. Gervais found that President Mineault directed a misogynistic slur at a female director and explicitly threatened to ensure her travel would never be approved again in the future. The investigator ruled that this “crude, gendered language”, combined with an “explicit threat” leveraging his administrative authority over travel, constituted gender-based harassment and discrimination in contravention of the BC Human Rights Code.

 

So finally the MNBC Board of Directors has given Mineault the boot, but what took them so long? Let’s walk through the sequence of events:

 

• August 18, 2025 – The Executive Committee announces that they have suspended Mineault given that “…the Executive Committee received complaints about behaviour inconsistent with our policies and the public also brought information forward to the Executive for consideration.”

 

• December 15, 2025 – The Board of Directors vote to reinstate Mineault stating (in part) “After much consideration and clarification of the MNBC Constitution, the Board determined it needed to take the necessary steps to move forward.”

 

• January 15, 2026 – Lawyer Robyn Gervais, who was appointed by the Board to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations against Mineault completes her report and recommends that Mineault be dismissed.

 

• March 1, 2026 – An overwhelming majority of community presidents attending the Métis Nation Governing Assembly (MNGA), after spending hours in-camera going over the report, vote behind closed doors to advise the Board of Directors to remove Mineault

 

• March 20, 2026 -  Lawyer Wally Opal asked by the Board to provide an independent assessment regarding the suitability of Mineault to continue holding office, in light of serious allegations of misconduct and breach of fiduciary duty

                         

Some important questions for the remaining members of the Board of Directors to answer:

 

1. Why did it take nearly 3 months after the Board received the investigator’s report on January 15th to get rid of him?

2. Why did it take nearly 45 days after a large majority of community presidents voted to advise the Board to remove him, that Mineault was finally removed?

3. Why was Mineault even reinstated in December 2025 given the allegations, and which Board members were pushing for his reinstatement?

4. Was the vote of the Board to get rid of him unanimous? If it wasn’t, which Board Directors wanted him to stay?

5. Did Mineault incur any legal bills and who is paying those bills?

6. Did Mineault ask for, or receive any severance on his removal from the position?

7. Why is this Board not releasing a copy of the Gervais Investigation Report? MNBC Citizens have the right to see the full report

 

Former MNBC President Clara Morin DalCol says she is not surprised by the allegations of misconduct and the findings of the investigator but asks, “Why did it take the Board nearly 3 months after receiving the investigators report to finally act?”

 

“We know he was probably paid at least $45,000 in salary during those 3 months, plus incurred travel costs and per diems,” she says, and adds that “Mineault should never have been reinstated back in December.”

 

Ms. Morin DalCol says now that Mineault is gone, there should be a forensic audit carried out on MNBC finances, especially regarding all of their property purchases and the use of the millions of dollars in housing monies that they have been receiving from the federal government each year.

 

Ms. Morin DalCol as President of Red River Métis British Columbia says MNBC is an embarrassment to Métis people in British Columbia, and here is a news flash – MNBC is not a government. They never have been and never will be. She invites true Métis in this province to join a real grassroots organization with a first-rate reputation that is focused on improving the lives of our true Métis people in British Columbia. She says we work on the issues that matter most to our members through strong and effective advocacy work with the federal and provincial governments.

 

Red River Métis British Columbia has an elected Board of Directors all of whom reside right here in British Columbia. You can apply to join Red River Métis British Columbia even if you have a membership with another Métis organization.

 

Join Red River Métis - British Columbia today, by clicking on

https://www.presidentclara.com/get-involved

   

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For further information:

Contact Clara Morin DalCol

President – Red River Métis – British Columbia

Email: cmdalcol@gmail.com