restoring harmony slcn election - press release - june 15-2016
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7/26/2019 Restoring Harmony SLCN Election - Press Release - June 15-2016
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PRESS RELEASE
Demonstrators Walk to Bring Awareness About Unfair and Inconsistent Procedures
in the 2016 Saddle Lake Election
(Saddle Lake Cree Nation/ Treaty No. 6 Territory
15 June, 2016): An ElectoralOfficer who defers all decisions to an unofficial Appeals Committee comprised of bandmembers; ten nominees struck off the official electoral ballot for reasons accorded to a
Tribal Custom Election Code written in the 1950s; these are the conditions set going into
the Saddle Lake 2016 Chief and Council election taking place today. It comes as nosurprise that this years election will have a new feature - a peaceful walk and
demonstration ending at Saddle Lakes voting station.
The demonstrators wish to make public the anomalies that have occurred during thisyears election processfor the sole purpose of Restoring Harmony to the Nation. We are
doing this peaceful demonstration to remind people about our Cree ways and the laws we
carry from our ancestors for the next generations. It is our desire to see open andtransparent accountability for our children to grow up under good governance, stated
Valerie Steinhauer one of the ten nominees taken off the official ballot list.
Since nominations closed on June 1, 2016, ten (10) out of forty eight (48) nominees havebeen removed from the official ballot list after the deadline for appeals had past. The
Electoral Officer was unavailable to meet with nominees removed from the official ballot
list by the Appeals Committee. Arbitrary decisions, inconsistencies, and irregularities inthe election procedures; suggests that interference with the election process is the root
cause.
Seeking remedy to resolve the irregularities of the 2016 Saddle Lake election process isessential and depends upon the good will of the people. Several of the nominees had
made numerous appeals to the Nation to reach a resolution prior to the June 15 election
date without success. A First Nation that has its own Tribal Customs Election Code asstated by the Indigenous Affairs, Conversion to Community Election System Policy, must
have mechanisms to resolve election appeals. If they are unable to, then, the matter is to
be settled in court.
Further, this situation has a unique feature; revising the Election code requires the
acceptance by a Joint Council of Saddle Lake Cree Nation and the Whitefish Lake First
Nation. Saddle Lake has a combined population of over 10,000 members.
Further inquiries, please contact:
James MakokisEmail: [email protected]
Phone: (587) 990-5683/ (780) 545-4860
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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]