By Spencer Sterritt

A way forward for Sturgeon Lake First Nation

Mar 21, 2016 | 5:00 PM

The community of Sturgeon Lake First Nation has been split for weeks but both sides say they want to work towards a reunited community. There are currently two elected councils, two Chief Electoral Officers (CEO) and two Deputy Electoral Officers (DEO). 

DEO Claudia McCallum, who was elected to the position in Dec. and given notice to vacate her office March 4 after suspending Sturgeon Lake’s council, said she believes the Sturgeon Lake membership can mend fences if everyone works together.

“We have to follow our election act. We have an election act that’s band custom law that we have to follow, so we’re doing that.”

Alfred Sanderson and Jennifer Cooper, who were elected CEO and DEO by 495 band members in their own election on March 14, also said they can see a way forward for the community.

“We need to follow due process,” Sanderson said. “Our election act, our band custom, is what’s going to protect the reserve and protect the membership.”

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Both sides in Sturgeon Lake cite Sturgeon Lake’s Election Act as the reason for their actions. On one side is Sanderson, Cooper and Sturgeon Lake’s existing council. They are holding elections for a new council from April 5-7.

On the other side is CEO Leslie Badger and DEO McCallum, who consider themselves acting CEO and DEO. They nominated and elected their own council Friday, March 18. 

The question now is how the two different councils can come together for a unified Sturgeon Lake.

Fred Felix, who was one of six elected to council on Friday, said he and the new council will strive to be respectful of all parties in the community. “Being a new leader for the community, our idea is to…give the people back the direction they want and need. They haven’t had that in a long time, and give them back ownership of their community.”

Sanderson said they will let the membership decide the way forward. “All we can do is look forward after this election and let our membership decide on who they want for their leaders.”

He also said those involved in the elections on Friday were welcome to participate in their election.

Several issues remain in Sturgeon Lake, besides two different political bodies who believe they are in the right.

Sanderson and Cooper allege McCallum and Badger made away with more than $7,000 when she did not submit nomination fees for the Sturgeon Lake election which had been scheduled before McCallum and Badger suspended council.

Cooper says Sturgeon Lake’s Chief Financial Officer never received the money, and there’s no receipt of the deposited money. “It just doesn’t seem reasonable that she would hand in a big envelope of cash without receiving a receipt,” Copper said.

McCallum said she dropped the money off in an envelope with witnesses, and the issue of the money only came up after council was suspended. “They were bugging us for that money every day…so when we handed it in Feb. 23, they quit bugging us,” McCallum said. “When we told them they had to hand in all band property, that’s when they said they didn’t get the money.”

Sanderson said they are looking to amend Sturgeon Lake’s Election Act once their election is over, to accommodate everyone in the community. “There is loopholes in our Election Act that do need to be fixed and amended to meet the standards of all membership. We have to allow full membership to make that decision.”

Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada has said they have no role to play in conducting Sturgeon Lake’s election, and it’s their policy not to provide advice, guidance or direction to any individuals or groups involved in the election.

ssterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit