Photo courtesy of oic-ci.gc.ca
A couple of recent First Nations elections in Saskatchewan are the subjects of applications with the Federal Court for Judicial Reviews.
Henry McKenzie is attempting to have the Lac La Ronge Indian Band elections declared invalid over a band resolution that prohibited candidates from running if they owed the band money.
The application was filed in April shortly after this year’s band election that saw Tammy Cook-Searson re-elected. The next case management conference on the file will be held May 31st in Saskatoon.
The other application involves the Canoe Lake First Nation, where lawyers are working out dates for another case management conference. That application was filed in January by losing candidates, who are alleging vote buying in last December’s election. The chief and council issued a notice to band members saying they would respond to the allegations at the appropriate time.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
In both cases, case management conferences have been taking place, but a judicial review has not yet been granted. The process is slow and will likely take months to wind their way through federal court.
Filing the application does not guarantee a review will be granted.