Delores Pahtayken is seeking a court injunction to stop the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations upcoming candidate nomination meeting until her case can be heard in Federal Court.
Pahtayken wants the court to rule in favour of her candidacy for third vice-chief of the FSIN.
Treaty 4 News obtained court documents filed last week asking for an injunction to stop the October 28, 2015 nomination meeting during the Fall FSIN Legislative Assembly in Saskatoon.
Pahtayken, an Onion Lake Cree Nation band member, filed candidate papers to run for the Office of the Third Vice-Chief of the FSIN, but the FSIN Credentials Committee denied her application because she did not have the proper paperwork in order.
According to the court documents Pahtayken alleges she filed all the necessary documents including the vulnerable sector check.
She claims legal counsel for the FSIN Credentials Committee wrote a letter indicating a vulnerable sector check is separate from a criminal record check.
Pahtayken writes in her statement the letter is “clearly flawed” in its interpretations of eligibility requirements of Sections 44 and 45 of the FSIN Election Act.
Pahtayken’s claim also mentions the story Treaty 4 News reported that former FSIN Chief Guy Lonechild was permitted to run without completing a vulnerable sector check.
Lonechild is seeking the Office of the Second Vice=Chief in a by-election that was called when then second vice chief Bobby Cameron stepped down to run for FSIN Chief.
“This is an unfair decision that the credentials committee have leveled. I want the electors of FSIN to decide my fate not the credentials committee who have been unfair. To allow one candidate to run without a vulnerable sector check and to eliminate me when I submitted one, duly verified by my local RCMP authority is totally unfair. Our institutions must be transparent and just,” Pahtayken wrote in a text message responding to an interview request.
“I don’t know if there is a higher authority within FSIN that can overturn this decision of the Credentials Committee. I hope there is such a commission. Fairness must prevail.”
FSIN Clerk of the Assembly Ron Crowe says the FSIN will defend the Credentials Committee but would provide no further comment.
Several other potential candidates seeking office were not allowed to run for similar reasons including Lyndon Linklater and Shirley Wolfe-Keller for second vice-chief.
Former Yellow Quill Chief Larry Cachene was also turned away from running for the Office of the First Vice-Chief.