By Nigel Maxwell

Chief responds to accusations

Apr 28, 2011 | 6:40 AM

Frustration within the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation could boil over today.

A group of angry band members are staging a protest after accusing the chief and council of corruption. They say they want changes made to the band's election act.

It started because the group wants a recount of the recent election, where only nine votes separated Chief McCallum and runner-up Harold Linklater, but the band's 1994 election act only allows for a recount for councillor’s seats.

“I have only been here for four (years), now they are saying there has been 20 years of corruption,” said Chief Darrel McCallum, who is equally frustrated by the recent turn of events.

“I was declared by an electoral officer that followed that 1994 election act, so I am abiding by what's there today,” said Chief McCallum.

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Some of the band members want to go even further and make changes to the election act.

“We've attempted that process in the last two years for sure. We have gone to communities with very minimal participation,” said McCallum.

“Sometimes I am reluctant to change the document when not the majority of people are showing up or good numbers are showing up at public forums.”

McCallum said he is in favor of changes to the election act, adding the current two-year term for chiefs is too short to get work done.

The protest Thursday will take place at the Senator Allen Bird Memorial Gym in Prince Albert at 9 a.m.

nmaxwell@panow