Advance polls for the Wesley and Chiniki band elections were held at the Stoney Tribal Administration (STA) building Dec. 2.
The Wesley band election will be held at the Morley Gymnasium and the Chiniki band election will be held at the Bearspaw Youth Centre, both on Dec. 8 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Several concerned Chiniki band members have contacted the Eagle (asking to remain anonymous), expressing their concerns over what they consider to be a lack of transparency, due diligence and fairness to all candidates on the part of the staff overseeing the election.
Mike Frank, a Blackfoot First Nation member, has been brought in as Chief Electoral Officer for the Chiniki band. Deputy Electoral Officers are Kari-Anne Chase (Big Horn), Ellis Quarshie (Eden Valley) and Dwayne Clayton (Morley).
“Anyone who wishes to file an appeal can contact me and I will give them a form to fill out,” explained Frank, adding that the process would then be placed in the hands of the chief and councillors to determine the weight of the complaint and whether or not the complaint would be heard at an official protest hearing.
One Chiniki band member said they would be filing an appeal before the appeal deadline (Jan. 5, 2015) based on what they said were unfair grounds for disqualifying a band member running for the position of Chiniki councillor; the appeal deadline for the Wesley election is Jan. 7, 2015.
“We want a re-nomination date,” said the anonymous Chiniki band member. “It’s not fair to the candidates (who met the criteria and paid their fees) — it’s the fault of the staff (who were not careful to vet the persons nominating and seconding candidates).”
Marvin Yellowhorn of the Pikani First Nation has been brought in as Chief Electoral Officer for the Wesley band election. Deputy Electoral Officers are Harvey Thunderchild (Big Horn), Ken Christensen (Eden Valley) and Kendall Yellowhorn (Morley).
Registered band members who are at least 21 years of age are eligible to vote. Each eligible voter is entitled to one vote for chief and four votes for councillors; Wesley band members are entitled to vote for three Morley candidates and one Eden Valley candidate.
The elected Wesley chief and councillors serve a four-year term; the Chiniki leaders serve a three-year term.
Eligible candidates would have to live on the Nation for at least six months prior to the nomination date; provide a name-based criminal record check; not have been convicted of an indictable offense in the last 10 years; pay non-refundable fees of $500 to run for the position of councillor and $1000 to run for the position of chief.
A person who nominates or seconds a candidate must meet criteria outlined in the respective Band Council Resolutions (BCR) and can nominate or second one person for chief and one for councillor.
Copies of the respective BCRs can be found in front of the band offices in the STA building.
The current Chiniki band is governed by Chief Bruce Labelle, Coun. Lional Wildman, Coun. Terrance Rider, Coun. Clifford Powderface and Coun. Frank Chiniquay.
The current Wesley band is governed by Chief Ernest Wesley, Coun. Shane Crawler, Coun. Homer Twoyoungmen, Coun. Tater Van House and Coun. Hank Snow.
Nation members who are unsatisfied with their band appeals process, as per each band’s respective BCR, are advised to take up their concerns with the courts.
Alberta Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) (formerly Indian Affairs) press secretary Erica Meekes explained that ‘AANDC has a very limited role with First Nations elections’.
The Stoney Nation bands have yet to opt-in the ‘First Nations Elections Act’, legislation intended to counter some of the issues in First Nations elections, put forth by AANDC, receiving Royal Assent earlier this year. What follows is a confirmed list of candidates vying for the positions of Chiniki and Wesley chiefs (one per band) and councillors (four per band; Wesley has three councillors for Morley and one representing Big Horn):
Chiniki band member nominees for position of: Chiniki Chief (one)
Frank Chiniquay
Henry Holloway
Bruce Labelle
Aaron Young
Chiniki band member nominees for positions (four) of: Chiniki Councillor
Brett (Bud) Benjamin
Kenneth Daniels
Frank Kaquitts
Jeremy Kaquitts
Charles Roderick Mark
Chere Mark
Gerald Mark
Jordie Mark
Charles Powderface
Clifford Powderface
Frederick Powderface
Murphy Powderface
Terrance (Terry) Rider
Coralean Twoyoungmen
Larry Twoyoungmen
Lional Wildman
Alvin Young
Wesley band member nominees for position of: Wesley Chief (one)
Clifford Poucette
Ernest Wesley
Wesley band member nominees for positions (three) of: Wesley Councillors representing Morley
Watson Joe Kaquitts
Hank Snow
Tater Van House
Homer Wayne Twoyoungmen
Zennon Ace Baptiste
Trilene P. Twoyoungmen
Wilbur Wesley (Bruce Wesley Beaver)
Rufus Wayne Twoyoungmen
Adriene Hunter
Marlin Roderick Poucette
Troy Harvey Crawler
Christopher Shanders Goodstoney
Amanda Carol Goodstoney
Clinton Blain R. Fox
Adeline (Adele) Faith Rabbit
Laron Gregory Twoyoungmen
Wesley band member nominees for position (one) of: Wesley Councillor representing Big Horn
Loraine Abraham
Shane Crawler
Gary Dixon
