New Date Scheduled for Black Lake Election

New Date Scheduled for Black Lake Election

Thursday, January 08, 2004 at 13:42

The returning officer for the Black Lake First Nation has announced that band members will go to the polls on January 14th.

The election was initially supposed to take place between Christmas and New Year’s Day, but Eileen Bruno says there was too much confusion about the vote for it to go ahead at that time.

The new election was ordered following a vote at a band assembly in late November.

The band’s election last January has been under appeal over allegations that band funds were used to fly in off reserve members to Black Lake for their votes.

Indian Affairs has already indicated it will recognize the winner of the new election, pending the customary 30-day window for appeals.

Bruno is glad Indian Affairs is letting band members decide this dispute by recognizing the band custom appeal process in place, and says it’s up to the membership to resolve this situation once and for all.

The two candidates for chief in the upcoming election in Black Lake are Boniface Robillard and Freddie Throassie. The incumbent chief is Victor Echodh.