The band office at the Cowessess First Nation has been chained shut by a group of protesters.
They have lost faith in the chief and band council and are calling on Aboriginal Affairs to appoint a third party to manage the affairs of the First Nation.
The doors to the band office were chained on Friday. Dana and Chad Pelletier organized the closure. This morning, about two dozen supporters joined them.
Dana Pelletier says their intention is to keep the protest peaceful, but he is expecting some push back from the band leadership. So far it has been quiet, and Pelletier wants to keep it that way:
“There are concerns that they may try to open the building. If they do that, we are going to non-violently stand in front of the doors to prevent that.”
At issue is everything from how the school is being run to financial accountability. Dana Pelletier says there is a lot of unhappiness on the First Nation, about 160 kilometers east of Regina. He says it has been simmering for months. His brother, Chad, says the protesters are in it for the long haul:
“We have got a good fire going. I will not be taking the chains of the door today. So it will be a few of us standing here through the nights and coming days.”
Chief Terrence Lavallee has been unavailable for comment. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada is aware of the situation, but has not yet issued an official statement.
Lavallee’s leadership is also the subject of a court challenge heard late last year. At issue is whether he is in violation of the band’s election act, which states a chief must reside on reserve land. That challenge was heard last November, but a decision has still not been handed down.