(File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Election issues

Candidates ready for PBCN byelection

Aug 14, 2019 | 12:00 PM

The three candidates vying for the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation urban councilor job are now entering the home stretch of their campaigns with the byelection less than 24 hours away.

Clarisse Lecoq, who worked as the band’s administrator for over 30 years and has a communications and public relations diploma from the University of Regina, told paNOW one project she would work on if elected would be a home for elders.

“All the elders around here are all scattered. They have different rental units and what not and I want them to be all in one building,” she said, adding the home could also create jobs for home care workers and nurses.

Lecoq said she was also concerned about social issues in the community such as poverty and homelessness. Lecoq pledged to offer more programming for youth, adding she believed strongly in land-based teachings.

“Teach the young people and access the elders and use their wisdom,” she said.

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Former Chief Darrell McCallum said for many years there has been a lack of structure at the urban office, and explained how he felt compelled to run to help protect the integrity of his people.

“In the last eight years we have seen an ongoing feud between the former administrator and the band councilor, and each time we have an election we seem to go in a byelection mode in this urban office and it’s very unfair for the urban community,’ he said.

Thursday’s election represents the third time campaigning for all three candidates in the last 14 months. The initial results had been appealed by Clarice Lecoq and the week of the scheduled byelection in July, the candidates were informed there was an injunction in place and Warren McCallum was appealing the Election Tribunal’s ruling to the Federal court. A federal court judge would later reject the appeal and side with the decision made by the election tribunal. McCallum said every time someone appeals the election results, it makes the government look weak.

“When you go to a different legal system to try and belittle your own laws, it doesn’t make any sense. Why even participate in an election if you dont believe in the governance of that same organization you are running,” he said.

McCallum said if elected he would offer stability, transparency and consultation with urban members, adding most members he had talked to were not aware if there were programs for youth and elders, and who qualifies for those programs.

“As a former leader and educator, I believe I have the skills, the experience and what it will take to lead the urban community,” he said..

paNOW attempted to contact Warren McCallum for comment as well, but was told he did not have time to talk to paNOW. Polls are open Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Parkland Hall.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell