By Roman Hayter
Tammy Cook-Searson is seeking re-election for Chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band. Cook-Searson has been on Band Council for 26 years and has been Chief since 2005.
Cook-Searson said she has received lots of support from the community as well as her family to seek re-election. “I went and I asked my mom and I asked what do you think I should do, and she said that you have to run again, I had other people encouraging me to run again for re-election, so I had a lot of strong support and a lot of strong encouragement to put my name forward again for re-election,” Cook-Season said. “I did get nominators and seconders in all our six communities, so I decided to put my name forward with the strong support and encouragement from elders, youth, and many community members in our communities.”
She said that she is proud of the work the Lac La Ronge Indian Band has accomplished in recent years. “There have been a lot of accomplishments that the Band has been able to do, and we have been working on reviving our Cree language and our culture, taking the youth out camping, even having elders’ youth camps, building land-based education centres, and then also having the wellness treatment and recovery centre. That was a huge milestone that we worked on together as a community, all the communities had input into building that centre, and this coming summer we’ll be building mini healing lodges in each of the six communities, and that will have a trapline setting and that will be part of the wellness treatment and recovery centre,” said Cook-Searson.
If re-elected, Tammy Cook-Searson stated that she will ensure negotiations begin on the Treaty 6 Agricultural Settlement Claim; she will continue her work on education, health, and housing; work on getting safe drinking water to the community of Little Red Reserve; create incentives for teachers to stay within communities; and build a new high school in Grandmother’s Bay. Cook-Searson said people should consider voting for her because of her hardworking attitude and experience working in the position.
“I’m hardworking, I’m dedicated, I’m always there, I’m experienced, and I’m committed,” said Cook-Searson.
The LLRIB’s General Election Day is March 30 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.