Widow Pressured To Vacate House On Reserve

Thursday, March 22, 2007 at 14:36

 

 

The Native Women’s Association of Canada is calling attention to the plight of a woman on the Sakimay First Nation.

 

Gracia Bunnie lost her husband in the summer of 2004.

 

Since that time, she says band administration has been trying to force her and her children from their home.

 

Bunnie is not a band member, and some councillors are apparently saying that means she’s not entitled to live there.

 

Bunnie says some of her services have been cut off and her 8-year-old daughter has lost bus service to school.

 

She says she continues to lobby the chief and council to let her stay, but it doesn’t appear to be having any impact.

 

One of Bunnie’s friends says many residents support her. Lyn Acoose, a band member at Sakimay, also says she can’t believe the administration is acting this way.

 

Band leaders have been unavailable for comment.

 

Meantime, the vice-president of the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Women’s Circle Corporation says it’s clear changes have to be made to laws dealing with real matrimonial property on reserves.

 

Judy Hughes is encouraging residents to write their local MP.

 

Hughes’ group and the Native Women’s Association of Canada are calling for the establishment of a legal mechanism that women could turn to when this type of scenario occurs.

 

They are also calling on Saskatchewan chiefs to impose a moratorium on evictions until the situation is rectified.