Canoe Lake Preparing To Change Election Rules

Canoe Lake Preparing To Change Election Rules

Thursday, July 09, 2009 at 12:54

After almost a decade of trying, the Canoe Lake Cree Nation appears close to adopting a band custom election code.

Band members ratified a custom election act four years ago, but Chief Guy Lariviere says federal officials weren’t satisfied with the document’s wording.

Lariviere says the band just received the blessing of the Indian Affairs and Justice departments to take a new proposal to band members — something he expects will happen in the form of a vote in mid-September.

Among other things, the new election act proposes staggered four-year terms for elected officials — instead of holding a full election every two years.

Lariviere also says the new act has strict candidacy requirements — and a way for band members to remove or suspend the chief or councillors.

The band needs a majority of band members to take part in the vote, and most of them to vote “yes”, in order for the new rules to be introduced.

But Lariviere says Indian Affairs has indicated it might be persuaded to rubber-stamp the new election act even if the voter turnout is a little low.