David Monias, executive director of the Awasis Agency, was fired by the First Nations of Northern Manitoba Child and Family Services (CFS) Authority on March 23.
Monias' termination for misspending came after he was placed on administrative leave in May 2009 by the Northern Authority who was then more than a year into undergoing a systemic review of the agency.
Marie Lands, CEO of the authority, has confirmed that Monias was fired eight days after the internal release of a draft review that showed questionable financial practices and spending within the Awasis Agency. The review found that Monias habitually charged $1,700 to drive from Winnipeg to Northern Manitoban communities despite the fact that flying would have been cheaper; authorized personal loans, travel and sick leave payout contrary to agency policies; and was also involved in buying three vehicles, including a GMC Envoy, a Ford Edge and a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The vehicles were supposed to be for business only but Lands says they went unaccounted for often. According to the Awasis Agency boar of directors, Monias also spent more than $1,100 per trip to attend meetings on average.
Before being fired, Monias had been with the Awasis Agency - one of the province's biggest aboriginal child welfare agencies - for nine years. The agency has faced a number of child deaths in the past few years. In November 2008, 13-month-old Cameron Ouskan died while in foster care in Gillam. His foster father has been charged with second-degree murder. Earlier that autumn 14-year-old Rephanniah Redhead committed suicide in Shamattawa and five-year-old Farron Miles drowned near his foster home on Cross Lake First Nation.
In 2004, an inquest into the abuse, sexual assault and suicide of a teen in Shamattawa looked hard at the Awasis Agency for sending her back into the care of her stepfather, who had just been released from jail for sexually abusing her.
