SIGA Chair Removed: FSIN
Thursday, September 29, 2011 at 14:44
The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations says it has passed a resolution removing Kirk Goodtrack as chairman of the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority board.
Earlier today, Interim Chief Morley Watson told reporters that the economic and community development commission, the portfolio belonging to Vice-Chief Edward Dutch Lerat, found there are real and apparent conflicts of interests, as well as questions regarding Goodtrack’s conduct as chair.
However, Watson said he could not elaborate on what the questions of conduct were.
But he did say that the reason for the removal is not because Goodtrack was trying to lower board expenditures.
Watson said the whole situation has damaged SIGA’s reputation, and he is disappointed that the issue had played out in the media.
Watson added the economic and community development commission will look for a new chair immediately.
In the meantime, Montreal Lake Chief Edward Henderson remains the board’s vice-chair.
Watson said this decision is the responsibility of the commission and cannot be overturned at Assembly or by another FSIN body.
For his part, Goodtrack stands by his statement that continued efforts to remove him are about the changes he is trying to make.
Goodtrack says suspending or removing him over questions over his conduct are just meant to cloud the issues — because he says when he has asked SIGA legal counsel or Watson what that means, no one can give him answers.
He also disagrees when Watson says this is a final decision. Goodtrack says the FSIN Convention Act dictates it go to the Indian Government Commission and then to Assembly.
The provincial government says it is disappointed with this latest development.
It says it is seeking more details from the FSIN and reviewing options at this time.
The province goes on to say that “this does not bode well for the review of the SIGA agreement later this year”.