Rival boards meet at Friendship Centre, resolve nothing

Escorted by Sault Ste. Marie police officers wearing SWAT apparel, a group claiming to be lawful directors of the Indian Friendship Centre entered the building today but left later in the morning without resolving anything.

Three members of the newly formed board met with three members of the original Friendship Centre board for about 45 minutes.

Two police officers were in the room to keep the peace and to try to mediate.

Outside, four back-up officers stood by in a police cruiser and a unmarked van.

The officers were wearing their SWAT uniforms only because this was an Emergency Services Unit training day and there was a shortage of uniformed officers, police said.

No agreement

The two boards, both claiming to be the Friendship Centre's governing body, were unable to reach agreement.

They agreed to meet again later, police said.

The new board was formed on Monday after a group of elders voted 16-1 to dissolve the old board.

Elders shut out of discussions

Elders, who play a crucial role in aboriginal culture and governance, expressed astonishment when advised that the Friendship Centre would not allow them to participate in or observe today's meeting.

Terry Lynn Coulis, the friendship centre's acting executive director, today described the new, elder-backed group as "renegade."

The Friendship Centre has 92 elders on its membership list, of whom the 16 elders who voted to dissolve the board are a small minority, Coulis told SooToday.com.

For background information on the dispute, please click on the links below:

Elders vote to dissolve Indian Friendship Centre board Police intervention sought in Friendship Centre dispute

New meeting called

The new board, headed by Joe Nolan, announced this afternoon that it's convening a general meeting of Friendship Centre members on June 20.

That meeting, called to remove the board of directors, will take place at 7 p.m. at the Friendship Centre Hall at 29 Wellington St. East. Legal opinion

Meanwhile, the Friendship Centre is mailing a letter from its lawyers, Sault-based Laidlaw, Paciocco, Melville to all of its members.

The full text follows:

************************************* The Indian Friendship Centre in Sault Ste. Marie 122 East Street Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario P6A 3C6

ATTENTION: Ms. Terry Lynn Coulis, Acting Executive Director

Dear Ms. Coulis:

RE: CORPORATIONS ACT OF ONTARIO

The Indian Friendship Centre is governed by the Corporations Act of Ontario, RSO 1990 c C.38 as amended (the Act).

Section 283(1) of the Act provides that the management of the affairs of the Centre is vested in the Directors.

Section 287 provides that directors must be elected by the members at a general meeting which meeting must be called and conducted in accordance with the Act and the by-laws of the Centre.

Pursuant to Section 294 of the Act the directors have the authority to call a general meeting. Under Section 295(1) the members may request the directors of the Centre to call a meeting of members. Not less than one-tenth of the members must sign the requisition.

Any meeting not conducted in accordance with the Act and the by-laws of the Corporation has no validity and any elections held at such meeting are void.

Section 283(3) of the Act clearly provides that the business of the Centre can only be conducted by its directors. Any other persons entering the premises purporting to be directors should be considered as trespassers. If necessary you should request police assistance to enforce the rights of the properly elected directors.

Please make your membership aware of the provisions of the Corporation Act and the by-laws of the Centre. This is the law of Ontario and must be followed. The membership should be advised that the Board will exercise whatever legal remedies that may be available to them to enforce and protect the rights of the Centre.

Yours very truly, Robert W. Paciocco Laidlaw, Paciocco, Melville

cc to Ms. Sylvia Maracle Federation of Indian Friendship Centres

************************************* Meanwhile, the Friendship Centre's staff is preparing a separate letter to be similarly distributed to the membership.

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