Former Chief Asks Court To Define “Elder”
Tuesday, July 07, 2009 at 12:28
The Peepeekisis Treaty Enforcement Group says the Federal Court shouldn’t have the power to define who is a First Nations elder.
The issue comes after the Peepeekisis Council of Elders removed Beverly Bellegarde as chief in March.
Bellegarde claims the council did not have the authority to remove her.
She has now applied to have the Federal Court define ‘what is an elder’.
The treaty enforcement group calls this an “outrage” and says giving the Crown this authority could undermine First Nations governance and sovereignty.
The group has issued a statement calling for the support of Treaty 4 First Nations on the matter.
Bellegarde could not be reached for comment.