Brazeau’s Senate Qualifications Disputed By Chiefs
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 14:39
The Senate appointment of the former head of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is being blasted by three First Nations leaders in Saskatchewan.
Okanese Chief Mary Anne Day Walker-Pelletier and Muskowpetung Chief Liz Pratt both say Patrick Brazeau doesn’t belong in the upper chamber.
According to a press release issued yesterday, many chiefs within the File Hills-Qu’Appelle Tribal Council believe a “serious mistake” has been made.
Day Walker-Pelletier says Brazeau has spoken out in favour of Conservative policies that have been detrimental to First Nations’ interests.
Tribal council chairman Ed Bellegarde feels the appointment is basically nothing more than a patronage move by the Prime Minister.
Bellegarde says Brazeau has “done a lot of work for the Conservatives” and is being rewarded for it.
He also says it’s questionable if Brazeau fits the criteria for a Senator over and above several other Aboriginal people in Canada.
Bellegarde adds a sexual harassment complaint against Brazeau also needs to be dealt with by the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.