Members of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band have voted overwhelmingly in favour of proposed changes to its Elections Act.
Approximately 70 percent of votes cast were for the amendments.
The changes will take affect for the March 2020 election. “
The conflict of interest, is where people who owe money to the Band, they can’t run in the election,” Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said. “That was one of the issues brought forward in the last election.”
As well candidates will be required to be criminally free for five years to be eligible for the election.
The passing of the new Elections Act is more than a decade in the making, spurred on by changes implemented in the last election, which irked many people.
New residency requirements for Chief and Council are defined in the Act, as too is the creation of a citizen driven election tribunal tasked with overseeing the vote, which was previously a duty of Chief and Council. The tribunal will also handle any appeals.
During the consultation phase in six communities, members brought forward approximately 100 recommendations. A copy of the new Elections Act is expected to be posted to the First Nation’s website soon.