By Bryan Eneas

PAGC vice chief elections underway

Oct 18, 2016 | 6:15 AM

Woodland, swampy, and plains Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples from across northern Saskatchewan have gathered in P.A for the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) Annual General Assembly.

Delegates from each of the 12 communities in the PAGC will cast their ballots today, Oct. 18, for one of two vice chief positions within the tribal council.

Official electorate Milt Burns explained the election follows a democratic procedure, requiring a total of 50 per cent plus one of the total voters.

He said nominees have a 30-day process to go through prior to being elected. After informing voting delegations of their intentions, they must produce a venerable record check and a Canadian Police Information Centre check.

“It’s a very long and tedious process they go through,” Burns said. “They come from different backgrounds and different First Nations. This round we’ve got three running for (vice chief).”

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Each candidate had 10 minutes to present themselves one last time to the 12 delegations.

Incumbent Brian Hardlotte, nominated by Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson, led the three candidates after his name was pulled from a hat.

“My friends, we have many paths to follow, but again I will say there is strength in this room. There is strength in our communities, there is strength in our leadership,” Hardlotte said. “I promise I will give you all that I can to act on your behalf so that we will see brighter futures for our youth, for our communities, and our nations.”

Hardlotte has held the Vice Chief position for six years, or two terms.

Hardlotte was followed by Walter Constant, nominated by Garry Standing of the Wahpeton Dakota Nation.

Constant began his speech by pulling out a piece of identification.

“What I got here, everybody has this. What is this for? What is this for really,” Constant said. “To me it’s just ID. What happened? Why are we paying our taxes? Why? When are we going to stand up and fight for our rights?”

Constant described himself as a man of the treaties. He said he will hold officials at the federal level accountable to the treaty agreements.

“Our treaties are holy, and we’re not doing nothing about it. That’s why I’m here today,” Constant said. “We need that, we need to push for our rights, our treaty rights.”

Chris Jobb, from the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, was nominated by Chief Peter A. Beatty, also from the Cree Nation.

“We are a great nation, the Prince Albert Grand Council. I’ve been asked to run in another area, but I didn’t… because this is where my heart is,” Jobb said.

Jobb highlighted his willingness to work directly with the people he hopes to represent, and said he would be a diligent leader.

“We have to go back to our ancestors, the principles. We have to go back to the traditions we have; the cultures, the values,” Jobb said. “I will not disappoint you guys, I promise you that. I will do whatever I can.”

A pipe ceremony and a grand entry will precede the opening of polls at 10 a.m. Polls close at noon, and votes are set to be counted over the lunch break. paNow will post results as soon as they are made available.

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas