At least three former First Nation Chiefs are gunning for the Office of the Second Vice-Chief with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations.
There could be more candidates announcing as the deadline to file candidate papers is still days away.
The office became vacant when current Second Vice-Chief Bobby Cameron announced his run for Chief of the FSIN.
So far three candidates have announced their campaigns publicly.
Bob Merasty is the former Chief of the Flying Dust First Nation.
He said he wants to build relationships and partnerships with industry and government.
“My record speaks for itself,” Merasty said. “I’ve always done and built new partnerships in my community”.
Rod Atcheynum is the former chief of the Sweetgrass First Nation.
He says he wants to bring forward issues on behalf of the grassroots people.
“I think the main issue is housing. Everywhere I go is just a lack of housing,” Atcheynum said. “And everything stems from the treaty right to housing.”
Shirley Wolfe-Keller is the former chief of the Fishing Lake First Nation.
She said she is running because the poverty is overwhelming amongst First Nations people.
“Our children have been suffering for so many years and I don’t see an improvement,” Wolfe-Keller said. “We’ve got more gangs, we’ve got missing and murdered women and we got so much dysfunction. We got Elder abuse as well.”
The election for Chief of the FSIN is also up for grabs with three candidates already out publicly campaigning.
Former Meadow Lake Tribal Council Chief Helen Ben, current Wahpeton Chief Leo Omani and Cameron were all at the annual Treaty 4 Gathering last week in Fort Qu’Appelle talking to Chiefs and Councillors.
There is also an election for the offices of the first and third vice-chiefs.
The deadline to file candidate papers is next Monday, September 28.