Congratulations - Gary Lepinski - President of the Metis Nation of Ontario

Candidates in the MNO Election Announced

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 -- MNO Press Release

OTTAWA, ON --- Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Chief Electoral Officer, Lawrence Gladue, today announced the candidates for the May 5, 2008 election of the MNO’s three province-wide governing institutions: The Provisional Council of the Métis Nation of Ontario- (PCMNO); the Métis Nation of Ontario Youth (MNOY); and, the Métis Nation of Ontario Veteran’s Council (MNOVC).

Thirteen candidates, of the 30 elected positions have been acclaimed.

Elections for the contested positions of the PCMNO Vice-Chair, the PCMNO Regional Councillors for Regions 1 and 7 will be held as scheduled on May 5, 2008. The advance poll will be held on May 3, 2008. All poll stations will be open from 9:00am to 8:00pm in each relevant time zone.
The following candidates were acclaimed:

Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Executive

Gary Lipinski, President

France Picotte, Chair

Tim Pile, Secretary-Treasurer

Provisional Councillors of the Métis Nation of Ontario

Region 2: Cameron Burgess (incumbent)

Region 3: Marcel LaFrance

Region 4: Ann Trudel

Region 5: Maurice Sarrazin (incumbent)

Region 6: Jo-Ann Wass

Region 8: Charlie Fife

Region 9: Peter Rivers

Post-Secondary Representative,
PCMNO Anita Tucker (incumbent)

Métis Nation of Ontario (MNOY)
Joni Labbé, Region 4

Métis Nation of Ontario Veteran’s Council
Elmer Ross, Senator

The following are the candidates of the contested positions:

PCMNO Vice-Chair:

Sharon McBride
Brent McHale
Eric Scofield

PCMNO Regional Councillors:

Region 1: George Sinclair
Region 1: Theresa Stenlund

Region 7: Pauline Saulnier (incumbent)
Region 7: Allan Vallée

The following offices are vacant (no nominations or incomplete nominations)

PCMNO Youth Representative

MNOY Regional Councillors: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9

MNOVC President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Women’s Representative, and Youth Representative.The date and time for the election for the vacant positions will be announced following the completion of the MNO Elections. MNO Electoral Code, Article 9.1 states: If after the close of nominations there are offices that are vacant, the Chief Electoral Officer shall, by May 15th, announce in writing that elections to fill any such vacancies will be held at the next Annual summer assembly.


OTTAWA --- Newly acclaimed Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) President Gary Lipinski today expressed his congratulations to all members of the Provisional Council of the Métis Nation of Ontario (PCMNO) which were acclaimed today in an announcement by MNO Chief Electoral Officer Lawrence Gladue and wished best of luck to all those candidates who are seeking office within the contested positions.

“I am extremely honoured to be elected by such a strong endorsement of the Métis people across the province. I look forward to working with all members of the PCMNO and Community Councils to establish our direction for this next term and continue the momentum that former President Belcourt has established in the past 15 years.” stated Lipinski.

Lipinski further stated “This next term, which officially begins May 6th following the election of the contested positions, will be very exciting for the Métis of Ontario. With the recent announcement by the Provincial Government on establishing a Framework Agreement we can expect that the Métis Nation in Ontario will continue to move our agenda forward in the best interests of our people. I would like to offer personal congratulations to other members of the Executive who I have worked closely with in the past, France Picotte, newly elected Chair and Secretary Treasurer incumbent Tim Pile.”

President Lipinski started his political career as a councillor on the Sunset Country Métis Council Gary expressed his vision for Métis people within Ontario and gradually progressed through the political structure becoming Region 1 Councillor and in 1999 was elected as Chair of the Métis Nation of Ontario of which he held until this current election. In addition to the elected positions that Lipinski held, he also sits on various Provincial and National Committees representing the Métis People of Ontario and was an integral part of the battle for Métis Rights including the landmark Powley case concerning the right to hunt.

The Métis are a distinct Aboriginal people with a unique culture, language and heritage, and with an ancestral Homeland that centres around Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, parts of the Northwest Territories, as well as the northwestern United States. The Métis played an instrumental role in the shaping of Canada, and work tirelessly to share their culture, music, traditions and knowledge of the environment with their fellow Canadians. Today, the Métis live, work, raise their families and pay taxes in communities all across Canada.

For further information:

Katelin Peltier
MNO Manager of Communications
Tel: 613-798-1488 ext. 108
Cell: 613-859-7130 E:
katelinp@metisnation.org
www.metisnation.org