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Three appeals filed into Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation elections

May 10, 2018 | 8:00 AM

While the votes have been tallied, the election process is still well underway in the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.

Three appeals have been filed, contesting the results in councillor positions around the Cree Nation. Randy Clarke, the Chief Electoral Officer for the 2018 election, confirmed the appeals have been filed.

“It’s always a process,” Clarke said. “It’ll go into hearing, it’s a process that [the band] uses.”

The electoral officer said Eileen Linklater filed an appeal into the Pelican Narrows councillor election, which saw Myrtle Ballantyne, Justin Halcrow and Weldon McCallum re-elected while Wesley Custer and Elizabeth Michel were elected.

Clarisse Lacoq filed an appeal in the urban councillor position, which was won by Warren McCallum.

A joint appeal was filed in Sandy Bay by multiple candidates according to Clarke. Harvey Natewayes and Timothy W. Underwood were elected to council positions in that community, however Roland Natewayes filed an appeal into his election.

“There was nine candidates this year, and out of the nine, two did not want to get involved with the appeal, the rest all signed,” Roland said. “We’re just waiting for the appeal tribunal committee to hear us out.”

Clarke said the appeal tribunal committee is comprised of band members who were elected to their position during nominations leading up to the general election.

The chief electoral officer said hearings are scheduled for the end of this month; appeal hearings are a closed-to-the-public matter.

 

Bryan.Eneas@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @BryanEneas