MMIWG manager resigns over hearing's short time frame

Another staffer from the national inquiry looking into missing and murdered Indigenous woman and girls has resigned.

Melodie Casellawas the manager of health at the commission. She is also a family member whose cousin, Cheryl AnnJoe, was brutally murdered on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

Casella said the federal government's limited extension to the length of the national inquiry was a leading reason why she quit.

"I feel like the lack of theextensionhas posed great harm tofamilies such as my family, Casella said.

She said the tight timeframe will notallow the inquiry to get to the rootcauses.

The inquiry was seeking an additional two years. Instead, in early June, itwas granted an extension to April 30, 2019, for writing its final reportand an additional two months to wind down its operations by June 30, 2019.

Casella's resignation isthe latest bump in the road faced by the commission. Dozens of others have also resigned or been fired since it started in 2016.

A spokesperson for the national inquiry would not comment specifically on Casella'sresignation.

"As with all organizations, staffing does not remain constant and throughout the National Inquiry's mandate employees choose to join and, at times, move on for a variety of reasons."

Difficult decision

Casella'ssubmitted her resignation letter onJuly 4 and her last day was July 6. She says it was a difficult decision.

"It really played on my heartstrings and it's beenreallyhard to not phone and say 'I want to go back now,'" Casella said.

Shewas told while working at the inquiryno outside work could be done, as employees needed to be fully dedicated to the commission.

She says not being allowed to do advocacy work at the organization called Coalition on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, so important to her, was another reasonfor leaving.

"It brought a voice to rural family members that didn't seem to exist in [the national inquiry] the issues they talked about were more for the urban setting," Casella said.

Payroll issues

Casella was initially hired on as a case support worker in July 2017. In October of 2017, she was promoted to the role ofmanager of health. But she says herwages never changed andshe has yet to receive any back pay.

She is still trying to get the payment issuesresolved.

"I'm really frustratedwith this whole mess of my financesand being in the inquiry," said Casella.

A spokesperson forthe national inquiry said it does not comment on human resource issues andpointed CBC to links that explain the federal government payrollsystemfor employees, including an explanation forpaymentin arrearsand thePhoenixPaysystem.