Public Administrator Appointed For Aboriginal School

INFORMATION BULLETIN
2007AE0005-000111
Feb. 8, 2007

Ministry of Advanced Education

VICTORIA – A public administrator has been appointed to the Institute of Indigenous Government as a result of a preliminary inspection ordered by Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell following complaints and reporting irregularities made to the ministry.

The institute will continue to operate and classes will proceed as usual while the investigations are taking place, minimizing the disruption to students as much as possible.

The minister’s actions include:

· Putting a public administrator in place to take over the functions of the board of governors and education council of the Institute of Indigenous Government.

· Disbanding the board and council.

· Suspending the institute’s president, with pay.

· Appointing a team of investigators and a forensic auditor to review operations at the institute.Senior ministry officials have also contacted the auditor general, comptroller general and the RCMP.

James Adams, a certified general accountant who also has a master’s degree in business administration, replaces the board of governors of the Burnaby-based institute, a publicly funded post-secondary school established in 1995 for Aboriginal students. His appointment, by order-in-council, is effective immediately.

Adams is an Aboriginal consultant who develops business models for Indian bands, and has been CEO of the Nicola Tribal Association and the Nisga’a Valley health board. He was also director of finance for the Nisga’a Nation, responsible for overseeing all financial activities, computer and information systems, human resources and economic development.

The forensic auditor and independent investigators are looking into the institute’s programs and services, finances, enrolment, human resource policies, facilities and information technology systems. The investigative team includes lawyers Deborah Lovett and Angie Westmacott.

The investigators have been asked to submit their report in about six weeks.

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Media contact:

Jennifer McCrea
Communications Director
250 952-6508
250 888-0023 (cell)