Administrators of a fund that provides loans to budding Métis entrepreneurs say they're concerned about the fund's future, after the organization representing Saskatchewan's Métis citizens ended a long-standing agreement.

On Friday, the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S) said it is terminating its agreement with the provincial government on the Clarence Campeau Development Fund.

MN-S asked the province to immediately begin negotiations on a new agreement on the fund, saying it does not have representation on the fund's board.

"In the last two and a half years, we've made great strides in regards to developing those relationships and to be able to establish ourselves as a government," said MN-S President Glen McCallum.

"We're just doing the work that needed to be done that should have been done years back."

CEO Pam Larson said the Clarence Campeau Development Fund is worried about the decision.

"We're concerned with the radical steps the MN-S is taking," said Larson.

"They're terminating an agreement that's been in place for two decades that provides significant economic benefit to Métis people and communities in our province."

Larson said the fund has been in regular communication with the MN-S on getting a representative on their board.

However, she said the MN-S would not agree to mandatory steps for getting a candidate on the board, including a criminal record check and a credit check. Those qualifications have been in place since the fund was created in 1997.

"We've been in contact with them on numerous occasions, asking them to complete the mandatory steps to assume their position on our board and they've refused to do so," said Larson.

Asked Friday whether it refuses, MN-S provided the following statement:

"The Métis Nation-Saskatchewan has an elections act, which clearly states the process in which individuals must provide criminal background checks to be eligible to run in the elections," the statement said.

"The Métis Nation-Saskatchewan has a constitution, which states that once an elected official is appointed as Minister, they automatically take the seat as Chair of the associated Ministry and affiliate, such as CCDF."

MN-S previously said it has repeatedly tried to negotiate a fair agreement with the fund and the provincial government, but both sides have been unwilling to give the group a seat at the table.

Under the fund's bylaws, Larson said, the MN-S has oversight over the organization. Traditionally, the fund's board chair is supposed to be the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan's minister of Métis economic development.

Then, the fund collects a list of qualified board applicants, who are approved by the MN-S.

If that doesn't happen within 60 days, the fund's current board selects its own candidates.

Good relationship

McCallum said he doesn't think the move will jeopardize relationships with the province.

"We have a very good relationship with the province and we have to look at new ways of developing that relationship," he said.

"It's not something that's going to damage the relationship … but it's going to enhance the relationship between the province and the Métis Nation."

Meanwhile, Larson said the group operating the fund is stuck while the MN-S and the provincial government negotiate.

"We're just the operating arm," she said. "The negotiations actually happen between the province and the Métis Nation and we're kind of left in the dark."

As far as the development fund goes, "CCDF will continue to operate status quo until a solution is found," said Larson. "That's the message to our community."

The Clarence Campeau Development Fund was created after an agreement between the MN-S and the provincial government was reached in 1997.

It was recognized in legislation in 2001 and a new agreement between the province and the MN-S was struck in 2002.

The fund is seen as one of the most successful Métis economic development agencies in the country. Every year, it provides about $4.5 million to Métis entrepreneurs, mainly in the form of business loans.

A response from the government of Saskatchewan was not immediately available.