Candidates raise concerns about Sturgeon Lake election

“We thought it would be a well-run election,” Longjohn said, but he then became disillusioned with the process when he claims he saw cheques going to Greg Ermine the four Fridays leading up to the election. Longjohn said he was in the band office and saw the cheques to the value of $2,500 made out to Ermine from the band’s finance and revenue account.

Longjohn said when he inquired with the band manager about what the cheques were for he was told “meetings.”

paNOW has made several attempts to contact Ermine and some of the councillors who were elected Friday to seek clarification on the various concerns raised by Longjohn, but so far has not received a response.

Longjohn sat on council for the past year prior to running for chief, but said he was asked by community members halfway through his term to run because of his high visibility in the community and his approachability. According to numbers provided by Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Daryl Kingfisher, there were just over 900 votes cast, with 1,896 total eligible voters.

“I know there’s a lot people that did not want to vote at all because of what’s been going on the past few years,” Longjohn said.

When asked to elaborate on what’s been “going on”, Longjohn replied some people were not allowed to run in the election. In the most recent election paNOW learned there were two chief candidates disqualified: Isadore Wichihin and Henry Felix. paNOW attempted to contact Kingfisher and ask about the disqualifications. In a text message he replied: “it does not matter. it’s Band business!!!”

The response from disqualified candidates

Isadore Wichihin told paNOW he was told he was ineligible to run because of money he owed to the band, related to funds received to attend post-secondary education. He said he feels his basic Treaty rights were infringed upon.

“You know it’s like saying if the prime minister or a mayor or a premier owed money to student loans, he could not run in the election,” he said.

Wichihin claimed when his father Henry Felix ran in the election in 2013, he had his funding taken away and he was told he owed five months’ worth of funding. Wichihin said documents he provided at the start of the 2016 election, showed he did not owe any money.

“They’ve been using whatever means they can to maintain control, and it’s all a big piggybank to them because Sturgeon Lake gets $40 to $50 million annually from the federal government,” he said.

Former Chief Henry Felix Sr. believes he was well within his legal right to run again. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

paNOW obtained a letter given to Henry Felix stating he was ineligible to run because of a debt to the band and his past criminal record. In August, 2014, Felix was charged with sexual assault — a charge that was later stayed by the Crown. Prior to this past election, Felix had a new criminal record check completed two months ago. It was reviewed by paNOW and showed no convictions. Felix, who also denied owing any money to the band, told paNOW the real reason he felt he was not being allowed to run, was because he would reveal the “truth”. Felix said he would like to order a forensic audit, but added he lacked the financial resources to see that go forward.

Wayne McCallum was among a small group of council candidates barred from running. He told paNOW he received a letter informing him he could not run because he owed money to the band’s social assistance program. According to the band’s election act, anyone owing money to the band is ineligible to run.

“The documentation that they provided saying I did owe that money was forged,” he claimed. paNOW has not seen the document and cannot independently verify this claim.

McCallum told paNOW he could provide documents proving he did not owe the band money. He added he thought the real reason he was disqualified from running was because he supported Henry Felix in the 2010 and 2013 elections. Like Felix , McCallum also wants to see a forensic audit of the band’s finances.

“The Election Act has been violated…in the past elections and we don’t want that anymore,” he claimed.” We want people to feel safe to have their say and their opinion heard by the chief and council.”

Going to court

Both Isadore Wichihin and Wayne McCallum have told paNOW they may be seeking legal advice. None of the allegations against the chief and council have been proven. paNOW has made several attempts to contact Chief Greg Ermine for comment, but as of yet there has been no response.

According to the band’s website, Sturgeon Lake First Nation has nearly 2,200 members, half of which live on the reserve northwest of Prince Albert.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

Candidates raise concerns about Sturgeon Lake election

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