By Thia James

PBCN members gather to take over urban band office

May 17, 2013 | 6:37 AM

Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation urban members gathered to take over the urban band office in Prince Albert on Thursday.

A handful of band members were outside of the office with signs calling for a re-election of certain band council members.

At issue is an alleged sudden spike in voters at the urban constituency during the April election. Some members are claiming this is the result of members who live outside of the urban area casting ballots for the councillor position, which is against the band’s custom election act.

In the last election, there were 488 ballots cast in total, but in this most recent election, 736 votes were cast.

“And these people have their own caucuses to vote,” said band member Sanford Custer. “But mainly, you can vote anywhere you want, but only for the chief. Like me, if I had to go to Sandy Bay, I wouldn’t be able to vote for the councillor over there. But I’d be able to vote for the chief.”

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Custer stood outside of the urban band office, surrounded by a handful of supporters. He said other supporters could not make it out to the afternoon gathering.

“That’s over 200 ballots. And where did they came from? They didn’t match the registrar with the number of people in the urban areas,” Custer said.

The band members have vowed to occupy the band office until their requests are met. They are hoping to hold a re-election and for voters to provide proof of residency at the ballot box, “so that people from the urban areas can prove they’re living in the urban area,” Custer said.

The new chief, Peter Beatty – whom none of the protestors have an issue with – and the councillors, have not yet been sworn in. Their swearing in will be held later this month.

But the urban area isn’t the only constituency alleging voting irregularities.

Former candidate for Denare Beach, Marvin Morin, is alleging that the incumbent councillor who defeated him, used money to pay for votes. Morin provided a document to the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation appeals committee with the names of four voters, whom he says support his allegations that the councillor provided “money payments for the purpose of favorable votes on April 10, 2013…”

Such an action, if true, would be a violation of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Band Custom Election Act of 1994.

Morin lost the election to the incumbent by a margin of 10 votes, and appealed. He claims that the electoral officer didn’t look at the appeal or say anything to him. “That was over a month ago.”

Morin could appeal to the Federal Court, but it costs money, he said.

Only Chief Peter Beatty was authorized to comment, and could not be reached for comment. None of the allegations made by the protestors have been proven.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames