Dispute on Sask. First Nation far from over

Dispute on Sask. First Nation far from over

Friday, September 12, 2003 at 12:54

 

 

 

A dispute on the Pelican Lake First Nation in west-centeral Saskatchewan shows no sign of letting up anytime soon.

 

For the past several weeks over two dozen band members have been protesting the leadership of the current administration.

 

The protestors have asked a federal court to overturn the results of the 2001 election due to what they are calling “voting irregularities.”

 

Jones Thomas is a member of the band’s on-reserve population which numbers around five hundred. He says repeated appeals to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada have garnered no results either, but they’re not giving up.

 

Thomas and the rest of the dissidents were in North Battleford court Thursday to deal with charges of contempt that had been levelled against them by Band Administration.

 

In the end though, the charges were dismissed by a provincial court judge. Thomas and his followers say they’ll continue to protest.