A resident of the Clearwater River Dene Nation says the community shouldn’t have to wait until next summer to elect a chief for the reserve.
Gerald Piche says he wants the band to set a nomination date before then.
He explains right now councilors take turns acting as temporary chief but it’s only a month at a time.
He says that makes it tough to know who to talk to when you want something done:
“Today somebody’s chief and December 1st there’ll be another chief, January 1st there’ll be another chief, that’s all councilors.”
The Chief’s position was left vacant after long-time leader Roy Cheechum stepped down at the end of July.
Meantime a councilor on the reserve says the band is following the rules that are in place.
Gabrielle Fontaine, who is the acting chief on the reserve for November, says the band regulation act is being respected and it’s business as usual:
“And in that regulation it states that if there is no chief within the year than there is no re-election and that is something the community voted on.”
She adds anyone who isn’t sure which councilor is in charge can always phone the band office to find out.
She explains nominations for the election usually take place in May, so it doesn’t make sense to hold two elections in such a short time-frame.