PBCN Members Reject New Election Act

PBCN Members Reject New Election Act

Thursday, April 08, 2004 at 13:52

The “No” side won the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation’s ratification vote yesterday for its proposed new election act — due mainly to heavy opposition in Pelican Narrows.

A total of 670 band members wanted to see the new act ratified, but 793 were opposed to it — including 552 in Pelican Narrows.

Band members in every other PBCN community, except Sandy Bay, voted in favour of the proposed changes — which included longer terms for elected officials and stricter ethics guidelines.

Yesterday’s vote was forced by a tie vote in the original polling last week.

Almost 50 per cent more band members voted this time around.

The vote result means band officials will have to go back to the drawing board if they hope to have a new election act in place before next year’s scheduled band election.

Band officials have said that the amended act contained between 35 and 40 recommendations of the 317 made during band consultation meetings.