Fire Raises Concerns About Records, Elections
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 13:47
Indian Affairs is moving to assist the Little Pine First Nation with re-gathering financial data, and a band member resident is wondering how elections will be staged, in the wake of a fire that burned down the community’s band office.
Sunday’s fire, which also burned down Little Pine’s medical clinic, destroyed much of the band’s financial and programming records.
INAC spokesman Trevor Sutter says the department is putting together the most recent data they have on the First Nation’s affairs, in order to help the band piece together their own records.
Sutter notes some media reports have indicated the band was due to face an audit next month.
But he stresses that that is a routine matter that 110 other bands are also facing, and there is nothing out of the ordinary about it.
Meanwhile, a Little Pine resident is wondering how elections will be staged, now that the band office has burned to the ground.
Elections are scheduled to take place on Little Pine in late November.
But Floris Kakum notes a group of Little Pine First Nation residents are pushing for an early election.
Kakum says he plans to continue gathering names on a petition in the hope that an early election can be staged.
He says the fire has been devastating for the elders and other members of the First Nation.
Little Pine First Nation Chief Patrick Bonaise could not be reached for comment.
Little Pine wellness worker Wilma Laursen was one of those affected by the loss of office space.
As a result, Wilma Laursen says she doesn’t know where she’s going to be working now.
Laursen says this was her fourth year as a wellness worker at the office.
She notes that this is the second year in a row that a building has been damaged on the Little Pine reserve.
Last year, a gas leak caused the furnace of the band’s community hall to explode, and heavy snow caused the hall’s roof to cave in.
Laursen says she was in the hall when the explosion occurred.
A youth charged in connection with Sunday’s fire is expected in North Battleford Provincial Court tomorrow for a bail hearing.