No End In Sight To Leadership Fight At Poundmaker

No End In Sight To Leadership Fight At Poundmaker

Monday, July 12, 2010 at 13:53

A power struggle is continuing on the Poundmaker First Nation, and both Indian Affairs and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations are declining to get involved.

A group which says it was chosen by band custom June 8th, says it is the rightful governing power.

It is headed by Milton Tootoosis, who says he’s chief of the reserve.

But Duane Antoine, who was re-elected chief during the band’s previous election, says he and his council are still in charge.

Indian Affairs spokesman Rod Desnomie says it’s an internal matter, to be settled by the band itself.

Desnomie says Indian Affairs will wait as long as it takes for band members themselves to sort out who runs the reserve.

FSIN spokesman Mervin Brass says the FSIN “does not comment on internal band matters.”