Former Chief Takes Dismissal To Court

Former Chief Takes Dismissal To Court

Monday, June 29, 2009 at 13:45

 

 

A dispute between former Peepeekisis First Nation Chief Beverly Bellegarde and the band’s council of elders will now proceed to the Federal Court.

 

Justice Leonard Mandamin facilitated a two-day mediation between the former chief and the band’s council of elders last week.

 

Justice Mandamin proposed a resolution, but the terms of the agreement were not accepted.

 

Information leading up to this decision is confidential.

 

Bellegarde filed for a federal judicial review, after the council of elders removed her as chief in March.

 

The council asserts they had the right to do this.

 

Evelyn Poitras is a spokesperson for the Peepeekisis Treaty Enforcement group, and is also named as one of the respondents in Bellegarde’s application.

 

Poitras says her group supported the elders’ notion to remove Bellegarde as chief.

 

“We acknowledge the elders’ authority, the Peepeekisis council of elders’ authority, according to our band custom election act, and that authority is that they can remove a chief or headman for reasons that are listed in the election act,” Poitras says.

 

Bellegarde’s lawyer could not be reached for comment.

 

The Federal Court hearing will take place in August.