Lampard Review of Metis Election Completed

Lampard Review of Metis Election Completed

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 at 13:21

 

 

The provincial government has received the long-awaited report into this year’s controversial Metis Nation – Saskatchewan election.

 

Earlier this year, the province commissioned former provincial chief electoral officer Keith Lampard to undertake a review of the May 26th vote to address “questions raised by Metis people regarding the way the election was conducted”.

 

The election was plagued by allegations of ballot box stuffing and tampering.

 

There was also some confusion created when the Metis Elections Commission first declared Robert Doucette the winner of the vote for MNS president, then abruptly declared his rival, Dwayne Roth, the president later that same day.

 

The Commission was also criticized for not allowing Lampard, the public or the media to witness 5 days of appeal hearings in early August.

 

Those hearings upheld Roth’s election victory.

 

The provincial government has suspended 400-thousand dollars in funding to the MNS until it’s satisfied the vote was conducted fairly.

 

First Nations and Metis Relations Minister Maynard Sonntag expects the results of the report, as well as the province’s response, to be announced within the next two weeks.