Court Hears About Suspension Of Band Councillor

Court Hears About Suspension Of Band Councillor

Wednesday, June 04, 2008 at 14:01

 

 

Members of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation will have to wait for a decision on whether a Federal Court of Appeal will reinstate one of its band councillors.

 

About 20 people watched a live video feed from Edmonton’s Federal Court of Appeal today in Saskatoon.

 

The hearing dealt with the case of Albert Dean Lafond versus Muskeg Lake Chief Gilbert Ledoux.

 

Lafond wants his job as councillor back.

 

Ledoux suspended him over alleged abusive conduct.

 

Court heard that when another councillor questioned Ledoux about it, he also was suspended.

 

Clifford Tawpisin, Jr. was watching the proceedings closely today.

 

He says he is also willing to take his case to court if he has to.

 

Ledoux’s lawyer argued Lafond’s suspension was temporary, and that the case should never have gone to this court.

 

Rather, she said it should have been dealt with through an internal appeal.

 

The judge responded by saying there is no evidence the suspension was temporary, and there is also no evidence to suggest an internal appeal process exists.

 

The judge has reserved her decision.