Meet Our Board of Directors

Clara Morin Dal Col - President

• Clara and her husband reside in the Columbia Valley, in southeastern British Columbia

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• Between 2012 and 2021 Clara held senior elected provincial positions with MNBC, including President 2016 to 2021. She was the first woman elected (and re-elected) to lead MNBC.

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• During her time as President of MNBC she signed the Canada-Métis Nation Accord in 2017 on behalf of Métis citizens in British Columbia. She also signed 6 sub-accords between 2017 and 2019 that resulted in bringing tens of millions of dollars to MNBC each year beginning in 2018. Those dollars from the federal government were meant to benefit Métis citizens in British Columbia. She questions the extent of those benefits for Métis citizens. Since 2021 the MNBC Board members have increased their salaries and have spent millions of dollars on adding staff and hiring consultants. Those sub-accord millions were intended to benefit the citizens, not the Board and a bloated head office in Surrey.

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• Clara was wrongly removed from her position as President of MNBC for refusing to vote at the Métis National Council Board of Governors to end the suspension of Métis Nation of Ontario from the Métis National Council. MNO was initially placed on probation, and then suspended from MNC in November 2019 for failing to follow the national definition of Métis when granting Métis citizenship to individuals. A report prepared for MNO on its Citizenship Registry and released in July 2021 revealed that nearly 70% of the MNO Citizens had no connection with the Historic Métis Homeland in Western Canada or in northwestern Ontario. Despite these shocking findings of the MNO Citizenship, the MNBC Board members of the day, led by then Interim President Lissa Smith moved the motion at the Special Sitting in Saskatchewan to end the suspension of MNO. The motion passed.

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• Clara's experience in representing the Métis Nation includes the following:

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• Member of Provincial Minister’s Advisory Committee on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls 2012 to 2016

• National Métis Minister of Culture, Heritage and Families 2016 to 2021

• National Métis Minister of Health 2016 to 2021

• National Métis Representative for Canada on UNESCO Committee for Decade of Indigenous Languages 2021 to 2024

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• Clara is honoured to be able to serve Métis people again as President of Red River Métis British Columbia

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Ed Dandenault - Vice - President

• Ed's Great Great Grandfather was Isidore Dumont, the older brother of Gabriel Dumont. On March 26, 1885, Joe McKay shot and killed Isidore and an Indian Headman at Duck Lake, Saskatchewan. These were the opening shots of the 1885 Battle of Duck Lake, the beginning of the Riel Rebellion.

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• Once Ed discovered that he was Métis in 2013, he embraced his heritage and became involved in his local Métis community in Chilliwack. They voted him in as President and he is proud to say that on his watch Chilliwack won the "2019 Outstanding Chartered Community Award".

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• Ed is proud to share his Métis heritage with his children Rhonda and Mike, his Granddaughters and their families and future generations.

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• Ed is a proud true Métis and pleased to be the Vice-President of Red River Métis British Columbia

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Rhonda Pickles - Director - Red River Métis British Columbia

• Rhonda resides in the northeastern region of British Columbia, where she and her family live on a farm just south of Dawson Creek. Born in Kamloops, Rhonda moved to the beautiful Peace Region in the mid-90s with her husband and young family, realizing their dream of raising children on an acreage.

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• In 2009, after completing her college education and receiving her qualification as a professional counsellor, Rhonda opened a private counselling and therapy practice in Dawson Creek. Her practice specializes in relationship and trauma counselling and therapy. Rhonda's warm, empathetic approach and unwavering commitment to her clients are the cornerstones of her practice.

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• In 2013, Rhonda discovered her direct family ties to the Métis homelands of the Red River Settlement, a historic Métis community in present-day Manitoba, and Duck Lake, a significant Métis community in Saskatchewan. This revelation sparked a deep interest in exploring her Métis heritage and understanding the history and challenges faced by her ancestors. Rhonda has witnessed the impact in her own family history of the suffering and trauma experienced in her Métis family lineage due to systemic racism and oppression, both from the church and government, leading to the suppression of rich Métis culture.

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• When she is not working, Rhonda is passionate about lifelong learning. She enjoys spending time with family (especially her grandkids) and friends, reading, writing, riding her horse, walking, hiking, yoga, and exploring new destinations.

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• Rhonda is honoured to serve as the Director for the N.E. Region of BC for the Red River Métis British Columbia, where she is dedicated to advocating for Métis rights and preserving cultural heritage. She is also a member of the Membership Review Committee.

    

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Joe Smith - Director - Red River Métis British Columbia

• Elder Joe knows the importance of knowledge transfer and has led many, many plant walks throughout the eastern Fraser Valley, and particularly Brown's wetlands. Joe was instrumental in the creation of the Medicine Wheel Garden at Chilliwack Métis Association, which hosts over 160 medicinal varieties of plants. He has a story for every one of them.

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• During his time in the Military in service to Canada, Joe has cooked for British Royalty (1964 for Princess Patricia), 1967 for the Centennial of Canadian Confederation events in Alberta, and at many Louis Riel Day events in Fort Langley making his famous 'bangers', fried bannock and cinnamon twists.

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• Joe is a direct descendent of James McMillan, founder of Fort Langley for the HBC in 1827, who was also its first chief trader.

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• Today, Joe lives with his wife 'off the grid' on Morris Valley Road in Agassiz, plays a mentor role to many in the community, passing down his incredible plant knowledge and Métis history. You can still see Joe participating at events at the Festival du Bois, Golden Spike Days and at the Aboriginal Village at the Cloverdale Rodeo.

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• Joe was also the recipient of the Medal of Military Merit in 1983, which recognizes distinctive merit and exceptional service displayed by men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces.

 

• As a Métis Elder and a Military Veteran, Joe welcomes the opportunity to be a Director of Red River Métis British Columbia 

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Greg Sterling -  Director - Red River Métis British Columbia

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• My mom was Cree, French, and Chinese. My dad Scottish, Irish, and English making me a very interesting fellow. I have been involved in the Metis Culture for some time now. As a former MNBC President of Grand Forks B.C. I have had the opportunity to work with many great people in B.C. as a leader, educator, story teller and a Métis crafter. I now reside just south of Quesnel.

 

• My Métis heritage is very strong. I have had the opportunity to work with Head Start teaching early childhood about sounds and noise, such as drumming, different types of rattles, clappers, and spoon playing. I now do a lot of workshops with the youth and elders, specializing in spoon building and spoon playing traditional Métis music as well as new music. I have been on Global Okanagan News for teaching spoon making and playing KVR MIDDLE SCHOOL in Penticton. I have built over 1400 Spoons in 7 years. MNBC filmed me in Fort Langley as well.​

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• I have been in many events across B.C. teaching Spoonology (spoons of the world) as well as Traditional Métis spoon playing. I am now working with the First Nation Tillicum Society in Quesnel teaching the youth and elders of our Métis culture. I have always been a team player and leader reaching out to those who need the help in everyday activities such as problem-solving that smaller communities may have.

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• I am very pleased to be a Director of Red River Métis British Columbia​

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Marie Zwingli - Director - Red River Métis British Columbia

• Marie's lineage is Sinclair, Isbister and Beeds. The City of Prince Albert has recognized James Isbister as the founder of their City and the Fort Le Corne area. James Isbister rode with Dumont and Dumais to bring Louis Riel back to Batoche to advocate for the Métis people.

 

• Marie of Kamloops retired from Neonatal and Pediatric nursing after 40 years in the profession and wished to support young girls, mothers, and women with young children. She was quickly selected to support the Early Childhood Development Team instead, due to her nursing background.​

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• Marie joined the Two Rivers Métis Society in Kamloops in 2014 and was happy to be part of a true Métis society. Initially I felt that the overall provincial body was doing quite well for Métis people but after a huge disruption happened at MNBC in early 2021, it was evident that the Board of Directors were no longer concerned so much about the struggling citizens and children or revitalizing our culture as much as they were concerned about their own needs. This led Marie to become involved in investigating the scruples of MNBC and she felt that she could no longer support the organization.

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• She joined Red River Métis British Columbia in 2023 and is pleased to be part of an organization for true Métis in British Columbia.

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• Today, Marie is a member of the Red River Métis British Columbia Membership Review Committee. She also sits on two other committees at the provincial and national levels. The BCAPOP committee supports women experiencing the use of substances before, during and post pregnancy, including some in recovery. She is also a member of Personalized Assistance to Housing (PATH), a national committee set up by the federal government to address homelessness in Canada.

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