PRINCE ALBERT — A flurry of press releases and public statements has brought Métis Nation-Saskatchewan’s Provincial Métis Council front and centre following the May election and subsequent swearing in of the newly elected council.
Sherry McLennan, Western Region 2, and Wendy Gervais, Western Region 3, were under suspension of duties when the Provincial Métis Council (PMC) dissolved ahead of the election. The chief electoral officer allowed the two to run for re-election.
“This is a human rights issue, period,” MN-S President, Glen McCallum, was quoted in a June 26 statement. “One of our staff was harassed in a very public forum, and our government prides itself on being able to provide a safe work environment, free of that kind of treatment by elected or otherwise and have taken the necessary steps to address the situation.”
The statement continues to assert that Sherry McLennan, Western Region 2, and Wendy Gervais, Western Region 3, will remain suspended from their duties on the Provincial Métis Council (PMC) as no apology for their alleged harassment has been provided.
The women called a press conference at the Eastend Hall in Prince Albert on the morning of June 26, where they spoke about the ongoing situation and what they called a “growing internal crisis” in the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan. “Our message today is simple but urgent,” said Wendy Gervais. “We have been denied our rightful seat at the table, despite being re-elected by the citizens of our respective regions.”
The two regional directors claim they did not receive due process, and the PMC has no right to bar them from their governance roles. McLennan claims the suspensions are an attempt to stifle their voices. “I believe my voice has been shut out because I’m a woman, and I really support my Western Region 2, and I bring their voices to the table.”
In a statement issued April 2, 2025, MN-S stated that during the Jan. 21, PMC meeting, Chief Executive Officer Richard Quintal provided a verbal complaint of harassment regarding the conduct of Provincial Secretary Lisa McCallum, Minister Sherry McLennan, Minister Kathie Pruden Nansel and Associate Minister Wendy Gervais.
The PMC retained an independent third-party investigator to investigate the complaints raised by Mr. Quintal and subsequent complaints raised by McCallum, McLennan, Pruden Nansel, and Gervias. The investigation concluded that the four women inappropriately and in violation of the MN-S Respectful Workplace Policy and The Saskatchewan Employment Act, questioned Mr. Quintal’s Métis heritage in a public forum at the Métis Nation Legislative Assembly (“MNLA”) on Nov. 2 and 3, 2024, thereby violating his human rights. “Such actions were found to amount to harassment within the meaning of the policy and legislation. … Such conduct by the provincial secretary and the ministers is entirely inappropriate.”
McCallum et al were directed to provide a written apology to Quintal before attending any PMC meetings, as per a valid resolution, in accordance with the Métis Act, as well as the Handbook for Executives, Ministers and Members of the Provincial Métis Council. The statement further read:
MN–S will be taking steps to amend its policy documentation to protect against similar circumstances occurring in the future. MN-S will amend the Handbook for Executives, Ministers and Members of the PMC to expressly state that harassment of MN–S employees by executives, ministers and members of the PMC will not be tolerated. MN–S will also amend the Respectful Workplace Policy to expressly state that harassment of employees by executives, ministers and members of the PMC will not be tolerated and to provide that if the Chief Executive Officer has a complaint of harassment to raise against any individuals holding these positions, such complaints will be raised and investigated by the Human Resources Committee of the PMC or such third party investigator appointed by same.
In a previous statement, the four directors issued in March, they claim the “investigation was conducted on a rushed basis” and MN-S “unilaterally proceeded with an investigator of their choosing” and resulted in the “handling of this matter by MN-S – disregarding both our well-being and procedural fairness - renders the entire investigation process deeply flawed and fundamentally unjust.”
According to comments made to paNow’s Nigel Maxwell, Wendy Gervais said she was under the impression the results of the election represented a reset; in essence, the order to apologize was no longer valid. Gervais told Maxwell, that usually if there is a disciplinary action, it is dealt with, and then it is moved forward; the April 2 MN-S statement states, “The Provincial Secretary and Ministers have been requested to provide a written apology to Mr. Quintal and they will not be permitted to attend any PMC meetings until such apology is provided.” Additionally, a further statement from MN-S, on June 26, reads, “The elected in question were made duly aware of the fact that they would be unable to participate in any PMC activities through correspondence exchanged by the President and through legal counsel prior to yesterday’s Swearing-in.”
Further clarification from MN-S in the most recent statement reads, “the two elected representatives involved remain suspended from their duties on PMC as no apology for their actions has been provided, and therefore were unable to participate in yesterday’s Swearing-in Ceremony or any PMC-related events. The results of the 2025 MN-S Election in May have no bearing on their responsibility to provide public apologies to the CEO. The sanctions ordered by the PMC suspending them from their duties on PMC will remain in effect until such time as the public apologies are received.”
McLennan downplayed the harassment complaint, saying she was just asking questions, and in a Press Release on June 25, accused the MN-S leadership of “undemocratic and untransparent suspension of elected officials.” McLennan went on to state that the “two duly elected leaders were denied the ability to take their oath of office. These actions raise serious concerns about transparency, democratic accountability and the systemic exclusion of elected women from leadership roles.”
President Glen McCallum, in the June 26 release, reminded “All members of PMC have a fiduciary relationship with the MN–S…and require PMC members to perform their duties honestly, faithfully and to the best of their ability and with a view to the best interests of the MN–S. For the utmost clarity, suspended members of the PMC continue to have a fiduciary relationship with the MN–S, and therefore maintain ongoing fiduciary duties.”
A deeper examination of ‘fiduciary duties’ reveals that public officials have important responsibilities toward the public, which include the duties of care, loyalty, impartiality, accountability, and the duty to uphold the public trust. They must avoid actions that contradict or harm the interests of those they serve. When elected officials are sworn in, they take an oath to serve not only their constituents but also the institution they represent.
McLennan said, “Our nation was built on resistance, on standing up when the path forward was unjust, and on holding power accountable to the people. That is the spirit of Métis governance.”
The stand-off continues.
