Lonechild Wants Job Back or Legal Action

Lonechild Wants Job Back or Legal Action

Tuesday, August 09, 2011 at 14:40

 

 

Suspended FSIN Chief Guy Lonechild says if he doesn’t hear from those who kicked him out, he will more than likely file legal papers next week.

 

This morning Lonechild held a news conference, saying it was both a final warning to the Executive as well as an olive branch before he takes legal action.

 

He admits there has been a lot of tension amongst the FSIN Executive and says it is probably “part and parcel” of the hearing last week that saw him suspended.

 

Lonechild also had some harsh words for Vice-Chief Morley Watson, who has been appointed Acting Chief during Lonechild’s suspension.

 

He says he wouldn’t feel comfortable having Watson at the helm of the FSIN just as he was at the helm of the First Nations University of Canada.

 

Lonechild says six other FSIN employees have been suspended – some political staff and others term employees.

 

Lonechild is appealing to chiefs with what he calls “common sense” and other First Nations people to speak out against what has happened in the last few days.

 

However, Watson is not backing down and responded to Lonechild’s comments through a news release.

 

In it, he says the FSIN is disappointed in Lonechild’s mischaracterization of circumstances surrounding his suspension, noting that many chiefs say there was no disclosure of Lonechild’s pending charges, and that if they had known, many wouldn’t have supported him in his bid to become FSIN Chief.

 

Watson continues by saying the Chiefs of Saskatchewan have followed a process, complete with legal guidance, to remove Lonechild from office through obtaining more than 25 band council resolutions, as well as passing a resolution giving 30 days notice that a hearing would be set to determine whether a non-confidence vote could proceed, and says that hearing, which happened last week, was “procedurally conducted.”