Appointed Officers of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government

The Appointed Officers of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government are:

Chief Electoral Officer

Del Graff was first appointed as Chief Electoral Officer by Provincial Council to serve in the largest Ratification in history of our Otipemisiwak Métis Government Constitution in November 2022, and to oversee the Special General Assembly Meeting in May 2023.

In September 2023, Chief Del Graff served as Chief Electoral Officer in the historical General Election that formed our Otipemisiwak Métis Government. In his role, Chief Del Graff was responsible for providing guidance and supervision to ensure fair and impartial voting procedures, compliance with Métis Nation of Alberta bylaws, and the highest levels of integrity throughout the process.

Chief Del Graff has an impressive track record in public service. For over a decade, he served as the Child and Youth Advocate, an Independent Officer of the Alberta Legislature. In this role, he represented the rights, interests, and viewpoints of vulnerable young people across Alberta. Before becoming the Child and Youth Advocate, Chief Del Graff worked for 30 years in the field of addictions and child and family development. He has a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Victoria and a Master of Social Work from the University of Calgary specializing in management, communities, and policy.

He and his wife Veronica are Métis Citizens. Together they raised three children and have two grandchildren.

Chief Del Graff continues to serve as the Chief Electoral Officer for the Otipemisiwak Métis Government.

SUMMARY OF CHIEF ELECTORAL DUTIES

The Chief Electoral Officer, appointed by the Citizens’ Council for a 4-year term, is responsible for overseeing impartial and fair elections and referenda for the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. In this role, Del Graff served in the largest ratification in the history of our Otipemisiwak Métis Government Constitution in November 2022, and oversaw the Special General Assembly Meeting in May 2023, ensuring the independence of the electoral process. As an arm’s length Officer, the Chief Electoral Officer’s duties include, but are not limited to, providing guidance and supervision over the conduct of elections and referenda, reviewing candidate nominations, enforcing campaign finance regulations, certifying election results, and ensuring compliance with the Elections and Referenda Act, Campaign Finance Regulations, and other Otipemisiwak Métis government legislation.

If you are a Citizen of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and wish to contact the Chief Electoral Officer, you can do so by emailing elections@metis.org.

Auditor General

Ruben Jeffery was appointed in 2023 by the Citizens’ Council to serve as the Auditor General of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. The Auditor General must cause a consolidated and audited financial statement on the operations of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government to be prepared annually; the Auditor General must ensure that this annual statement is available to all Citizens.

Ruben CPA CA (Partner, Kingston Ross Pasnak LLP) is a proud Citizen of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and considers it one of the professional honours of his career to serve as its Auditor General. Ruben is a recognized thought leader in the unique financial and accounting issues that face Métis governments, entities, and members. He has gained his vast experience over a 30-year career as a Chartered Public Accountant, during which he has served as key adviser for a wide spectrum of clients, including Métis, First Nation, private enterprise, and not-for-profit entities. His clients appreciate Ruben’s candor, honesty, and expertise. Ruben’s experience includes acting as engagement partner for Métis Nation of Alberta for over 20 years. He has also worked closely with several Regional councils and Provincial Council members.

Ruben and his family have lived in St. Albert for over 40 years. He has invested a significant amount of his time in volunteering over many years, including as a coach with local minor hockey, soccer, and baseball teams, and as a member on a variety of not-for-profit Boards of Directors.

Ruben Jeffery was appointed as Auditor General for a four-year term at the November 20, 2023 meeting of the Citizens’ Council. As the audit period does not occur until the conclusion of the previous fiscal year, no other significant activity occurred within the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

SUMMARY OF AUDITOR GENERAL DUTIES

The Auditor General is an arm’s length officer of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government responsible for ensuring the Otipemisiwak Métis Government is financially transparent and accountable to Citizens. Each year, the Auditor General must cause to be prepared a consolidated financial statement of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and give their opinion as to its fair presentation. The consolidated financial statement is presented annually at the Citizens’ Gathering and made available to all Citizens. The Auditor General may also prepare any special reports for Citizens’ Council on matters that, in the Auditor General’s opinion, should not be deferred to the annual report in order to ensure fiscal accountability of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government.

If you are a Citizen of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and wish to contact the Auditor General, you can do so by emailing auditorgeneral@metis.org.

Ombudsman

Phillip Werth was appointed by the Citizens’ Council in 2023 to serve as the Ombudsman of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. The Ombudsman is an arms-length officer of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and oversees investigating complaints, mediating disputes, and making recommendations to the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and its Institutions regarding the resolution of complaints.

Phil is a descendant of the Red River at Winnipeg, Manitoba. Many of his relatives worked in the fur industry in Western Canada dating back to the 1700s. He was born in Uranium City, Saskatchewan, spending his youth in Saskatchewan. He graduated from university with a Bachelor’s degree in education and taught at Red Earth Cree Nation in northern Saskatchewan.

In 1997, Phil moved to Edmonton to join the police service, where he retired in 2022. During this time, he was able to help those in the community in need, and worked on criminal investigations, file preparation, and court proceedings.

Phil currently lives in Sherwood Park with his wife Careyann and two children. Hockey has always been a big part of his life with playing, coaching, and being involved with his son’s teams. He was fortunate enough to be involved with the Métis Nation of Alberta’s hockey program which has been an exceptional experience for him and his family. Phil has also enjoyed fishing and hunting his whole life and enjoys passing the culture to others.

Phillip Werth was appointed as Ombudsman for a four-year term at the November 20, 2023 meeting of the Citizens’ Council. No other significant activity occurred within the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

SUMMARY OF OMBUDSMAN DUTIES

The Ombudsman is an arm’s length officer of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government responsible for overseeing the impartial investigation of complaints and the mediation of disputes. The Ombudsman has the power to dismiss complaints and make recommendations to the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and its Institutions regarding the resolution of these complaints.

The Ombudsman’s investigative jurisdiction extends to any administrative actions, inactions, or decisions by the Otipemisiwak Métis Government or its Institution as well as the actions, inactions, or decisions of elected leadership, officers, or employees in the exercise of any power or duty assigned to them under Otipemisiwak Métis Government law. As such, the Ombudsman fulfills an essential role in the Otipemisiwak Métis Government by ensuring its actions and decisions reflect fair and responsible governance for the Citizens of the Métis Nation within Alberta.

If you are a Citizen of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and wish to contact the Ombudsman, you can do so by emailing ombudsman@metis.org.

Chair

Garrett Tomlinson was appointed by the Citizens’ Council as Chair of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government in the Fall of 2023. The Chair is an officer of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government defined by the Constitution, who is responsible for presiding over all Citizens’ Council meetings and Citizens’ Gatherings, while remaining neutral and impartial in their decision-making.

Garrett Tomlinson has served Indigenous governments as a communications and governance consultant for nearly 20 years. In addition to six years with the Métis Nation of Alberta developing the Consultation Department, the Self-Government Department, and overseeing Transition and the historic ratification of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government Constitution in 2022, Garrett is also an experienced parliamentarian and public speaker. Following the Alberta municipal elections in 2013, Garrett became the youngest serving Chief Elected
Official of any municipality in the province at the time, presiding as Reeve of Northern Sunrise County. He has served as both a member or Chairperson on more than a dozen corporate boards, government commissions, committees, regulatory tribunals, and other bodies.

Additionally, Garrett has regularly guest lectured on Indigenous laws and legal orders at leading universities and law faculties across Canada over the last decade, and provided evidence as an expert witness before multiple levels of Canadian courts. Garrett is also a published author both in op eds in the Canadian press and academic journals. More recently, he co-authored the peer reviewed article titled: “Beyond Appropriate Norms: Cultural Safety with Indigenous People in Canadian Neuropsychology.”

SUMMARY OF CHAIR DUTIES

The Chair’s primary role is to maintain neutrality and impartiality while presiding over all Council meetings and Citizens’ Gatherings. They ensure that these meetings are effectively planned, orderly, and efficient in addressing matters. The Chair is also responsible for making procedural decisions, such as maintaining order and expelling disruptive individuals if necessary. Additionally, the Chair prepares and issues meeting notices, compiles necessary documentation, and reports on Citizens’ Gatherings to the Citizens’ Council. They also oversee legislative processes and voting procedures, including the ability to call for and participate in secret ballots.

If you are a Citizen of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and wish to contact the Chair, you can do so by emailing chair@metis.org.