Many Rivers Society to 'repair relationships' after membership dispute

The board of Yukon's Many Rivers Counselling and Support Society is ready to turn the page on a dispute over society memberships and "repair relationships strained by these events."

In a news release on Tuesday, the board says it will comply with a recent order from the territory's registrar of societies.

After an investigation, the registrar issued a decision on Mar. 22 that some membership applications had been improperly rejected by the board. The board was ordered to accept the applicants as legitimate members.  

In its Tuesday news release, the Many Rivers board said it was "disappointed" by the registrar's decision, but that it would not launch an appeal.

"Despite feeling confident that we would succeed on appeal, the society, its staff, and more importantly, the people receiving services from the society can't afford any further delays," said Marian Bailey, the society's executive director, in a statement.

"It is time to get back to the good work that the society has been providing to Yukoners for the last 50 years."

Bailey goes on to say that the months-long dispute was initially about the Yukon Employees' Union's tactics during contract negotiations last year, but then "morphed to be more about the scope of the registrar's authority to interfere with a society's management."

The news release says it's now more important to "keep the organization alive" than for the society to try to "vindicate its rights."

Bailey says Many Rivers will now reconsider membership applications, schedule a new AGM, and "repair relationships." 

Funding uncertain

The status of Many Rivers' funding is still unclear though. The society was receiving the bulk of its operating budget — about $2 million per year — from the government before being cut off during the membership dispute.

That prompted staff layoffs and a sign on Many Rivers' Whitehorse door last month saying the office was effectively closed.

In the Yukon Legislature on Monday, Social Services Minister Pauline Frost said the government had set aside money in the budget for counselling services "once a provider has been determined."

"The department is working to support the delivery of these services and will continue to provide more information as it becomes available," said Frost.