Lonechild Out, Non-Confidence Vote Set

Lonechild Out, Non-Confidence Vote Set

Friday, August 05, 2011 at 16:49

 

 

FSIN Chief Guy Lonechild says he and his political staff have been suspended with pay for the next three weeks.

 

Lonechild says he received a letter last night from the Indian Government Commission, informing him of its decision.

 

He confirms in the letter that vice-chief Morley Watson will be acting chief, something he calls absurd and says it’s like a coup.

 

Lonechild says an Executive Council meeting must be authorized by the Chief and is calling the meeting unlawful, saying it went back and forth between being a meeting, including an Executive meeting, and a hearing.

 

However, now acting FSIN Chief Morley Watson believes proper procedures were followed, although he isn’t completely certain because there are so many different Acts within the FSIN.

 

Watson doesn’t believe this situation will affect relations with the government, although Lonechild feels it won’t do anything to help.

 

So far the events unfolding at the FSIN do not seem to have impacted the government’s relationship with the organization.

 

Rod Desnomie of Aboriginal Affairs says the current funding arrangement will be respected.

 

The provincial government is saying little about the situation, other than it is committed to First Nations people in Saskatchewan and will work with whomever.

 

It also says it is respecting the process underway at the FSIN.

 

Lonechild says he is still the chief of the FSIN and that he and his lawyer will be filing an injunction next week.

 

A closed session of the FSIN Chiefs in Assembly will be held on September 1st to discuss a pending non-confidence motion in Lonechild’s leadership.