An independent inquiry confirms that the Chief and Council’s suspension of Councillor Cathy Martin on November 7, 2017 was justified and appropriate.

Having conducted a thorough investigation of the relevant factual context that led to the councillor’s suspension, the independent investigator concluded that:

• The Code of Conduct was properly applied;
• The rules of procedural fairness have been followed appropriately;
• The penalty imposed was justified; and,
• The three month suspension and its terms were appropriate though on the high end.

Please see below a letter from the Sûreté du Québec.  The major crime unit in Chandler investigated the  file.  They came to the conclusion that there was no criminal offense.  Therefore, the file will be closed.

Click the following link to view a translated letter from the Major Crimes Unit in Chandler

Click the following link to view the original letter from the Major Crimes Unit in Chandler

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF 

Good day,

On behalf of the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government, I wish to speak to you on some important issues that affect our community. Recently, we faced some conflicts within our council and I wish to reassure you that this is being dealt with. The main objective is restoring unity in our council, for the best interest of our community as a whole. The LMG is committed to resolving effectively and sensitively, any existing issue within the Council that may hinder the Council’s duties to serve the people.

One topic that has come up on this matter is the Code of Conduct, and I want to take this opportunity to elaborate on this policy. The purpose of this policy is to maintain a harmonious and mutually beneficial relationship between Chief and Council and the Listuguj Members. The Council’s desire is to serve the Members fairly and efficiently. Accordingly, the Council is determined to establish an effective and respectful working relationship among each other and with the Membership.

The Council’s decision for a suspension was solely based on a breach of the code of conduct which could have affected the reputation of the community and the hardworking staff at LMG who have contributed significantly to a beneficial economic opportunity for the prosperity and economy for our community. I will not get into details today on the conflict related to the suspension of a council member but I will acknowledge that this council member has publicly expressed disagreement with the decision.

I have sent this Council member a letter with an offer to consider solutions, including a request for the appeal and redress process outlined in the policy, or, should this not be satisfactory, an alternative path which could involve the request of an independent inquiry. The Council member has accepted my invitation, she does not wish to use the procedure outlined in the code. She is open to a conflict resolution and proposes instead to use the restorative justice procedure.

I welcome this proposition openly and I commit to bringing this to Council at our next meeting, where we will take a decision on the choice of procedure; this will also involve suspending the decision, which will allow for this council member to resume Council responsibilities. The Council wishes to come to a resolution on this conflict as soon as possible so that we can restore balance and focus on working on community files.

I am very conscious that community members have not had access to all information pertaining to the Zenabis file until now but we have shared as much as we can. I assure you that we will communicate this information with you, in all transparency.

I invite you to visit our website and our Facebook page, in the next few days, where we will publish a fact sheet that will answer any questions that you may have on this particular file.

In closing, I allow myself to highlight the announcement made this Monday by the government of New Brunswick that confirms having concluded an agreement with Zenabis, for the provision of Cannabis to New Brunswick- the retail value of which is between $40-$50 million. For Listuguj, this represents an opportunity that will not only provide a financial return, but more importantly – a partnership built from meaningful conversations, a vision for the future within the sector, and lasting, mutual, beneficial, business relationship.

More details will come in the upcoming days.

On behalf of the Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government,

Thank you for your time and continued involvement.

Wela’lieg!

For more information please contact:
Chief Darcy Gray, chiefdarcy.gray@listuguj.ca (418) 788-2136

Mike Isaac, Communications Manager, misaac@listuguj.ca (418) 788-2136

Jill Martin, Office of Chief and Council Coordinator, jill.martin@listuguj.ca  (418) 788-2136

After careful consideration, The Listuguj Mi’gmaq Government would like to express our concerns in regards to the misleading statements in regards to the Zenabis investment.

It certainly is unfortunate that information that could be deemed inaccurate and seemingly misleading is disseminated using an unofficial LMG means of communication.  What is more unfortunate, is the potential legal and financial implications which may result in the dissemination of seemingly defamatory statements.

There has been a tremendous amount of hard work that has been taking place between LMG staff in Economic Development, Post-Secondary Education, LMDC and Zenabis. It has already been discussed at council that, Zenabis, Human Resources and LMG employees are collaborating to ensure our people work at every level within the organization. This shows that Zenabis has an invested interest in collaborating with Listuguj to build the capacity of our people to enter the industry.

Additionally, information on their network/partners can easily be found by conducting research online. This allows our community members to get additional information on Zenabis.

Council have followed the direction from community members who were in attendance at the public meeting that took place on September 12, 2017.

The LMG has been, going back to August 19, 2016, conducting consistent communications on or in regards to public events, Council minutes, Social Media and other LMG Communications.

The LMG would like to extend our deepest appreciation to the community members who attend these meetings/events and express themselves. We hear you and continue to listen to your feedback to help guide us to properly lead as your elected council.

Moving forward it has been the decision of Council to:

• Have additional meetings with Zenabis to allow Council more opportunities to increase their current understanding of the industry;
• Consult with an accountant and/or economist on the purchase of shares, giving opportunity for council to gain a better understanding on what it means to be a shareholder;
• Coordinate another public meeting to give the community another opportunity to engage with Chief & Council on the investment with Zenabis moving forward.

In conclusion, The LMG is aware we have the fiduciary duty and will continue to provide accurate information based on fact as often as it is available.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Mike Isaac, Communications Manager at 418-788-2136 or misaac@listuguj.ca