Métis Nation British Columbia has removed its president following allegations of misconduct

The Nation (MNBC) asked Wally Oppal, a former judge and politician, to conduct an independent assessment about President Walter Mineault following “serious allegations of misconduct and breach of fiduciary duty

” During an independent investigation, lawyer Robyn Gervais found that Mineault “repeatedly utilized his position to advance familial interests over the interests of the Nation,” states Oppal’s report

One instance details how Mineault negotiated an inflated performance fee for his brother’s band and pressured MNBC staff to hire them

“When the CEO properly declined due to the conflict, President Mineault engaged in a 40-minute phone call where he yelled at, abused, and intimidated the CEO, threatening to publicly accuse her of bias against his family,” Oppal wrote

On another occasion, Mineault participated in and advocated for a resolution that provided a “direct material benefit to property partially owned by his third cousin

He failed to disclose this familial relationship to the Board and applied improper, confrontational pressure to directors who questioned the resolution

” In another instance, Gervais found that Mineault directed a misogynistic slur at a female director and explicitly threatened to ensure her travel would never be approved again in the future

Gervais ruled the threat was in contravention of the B

Gervais also found that Mineault consistently used his authority to control, punish and silence dissent

He also attempted to remove the treasurer because they asked “too many questions” regarding the president’s expenses, according to Oppal’s report

Gervais found that Mineault arbitrarily refused to approve board travel for dissenting directors as a way to control or punish them, he engaged in a “sustained pattern of hostility,” including berating staff, swearing at directors over the phone and publicly criticizing directors during meetings, and he breached confidentiality by posting in-camera board deliberations about a rent supplement program on his personal Facebook page

The MNBC says that an election to replace Mineault will be called soon

Oppal said Mineault chose not to respond to the allegations