Emma New, former executive director of Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) Region 5, pleaded guilty to a white-collar crime on Jan. 10, 2022.
New was set to have a trial in Slave Lake provincial court on one charge of defrauding the MNA Region 5 office between June 2020 and May 13, 2021 of over $5,000. At trial, she changed her plea to guilty.
Not much detail was discussed in open court. However, the amount of money was implied to be much more than $5,000. The charge originally read $182,811.22, but was amended to over $5,000 before she pleaded guilty. The exact number will have to wait until sentencing to be revealed.
New’s lawyer, Dallas Gelineau, requested a Gladue report on his client’s behalf.
The Justice Canada website says, “Gladue requires sentencing judges to consider systemic and background factors of the offender, and the types of sentencing procedures and sanctions that are appropriate in the circumstances … Gladue factors must be considered for all self-identified Indigenous people – regardless of whether they have status, live on- or off-reserve – unless the individual waives the right to have such factors considered.”
The report takes around 16 weeks to prepare.
New is scheduled for sentencing May 24.
