Blood elections controversial

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CALGARY - The Stoney election which saw the defeat of two out of three chiefs is just the first of four band elections slated for the Treaty 7 area this fall. However, the most controversial appears to be the Blood band election scheduled for November 27.

The band is embroiled in a bitter feud between the band chief and council and a faction of band members who have asked that their council be disbanded by the federal government.

The faction spokesman, John Chief Moon, claims the election process on the reserve is "riddled with bribery and corruption" and that the council passes bylaws without the knowledge or consent of the people.

A bylaw to change the chief and council's terms of office from a two-year to a four-year term was overturned last month after protesters held a sit-in at the band's offices.

In an interview Tuesday, Chief Moon said band members were "very angry" that the only way they had learned of the council's decision was through a press release published in the Kainai News, a government-funded newspaper based on the reserve.

Chief Moon claims the newspaper is controlled by the chief and council as none of the controversial stories have appeared in the publication.

"We've held sit-ins, general meetings, we've signed petitions, we've been reported in the Lethbridge Herald, the Calgary Herald, and in Windspeaker, but these people (Kainai News editors) refuse to even talk to us or publish our side of the story," he said.

The Calgary Herald ran a two-page picture story of the "Bloods despair" Sunday, November 9, which, says Chief Moon, truly depicts the plight of the Blood band members who are "forced to live in poverty while the leaders live in luxury."

Blood band members will be meeting with Lethbridge Foothills MP Blaine Thacker November 18 to discuss allegations of illegal election practices and mismanagement of band funds said Chief Moon.

According to department official Rosemary Kiegelmann, the Blood band had a voter turnout of around 10 per cent during the last election, which she said was fairly average. Chief Roy Fox, a former prison guidance counsellor and courtworker, was first elected chief in 1978 after serving three terms on the Blood council.

Other bands facing election this year include the Sarcee band, which lies on the western outskirts of Calgary. The band goes to the polls November 26 for the third year

in a row. Last year, due to an appeal to the Department of Indian Affairs over a vote

cast by a person under the age of 18, a new election just for the position of chief was

held. Incumbent Roy Whitney won by a large margin of 31 votes over closest contender Clifford Big Plume.

The Peigan band will also hold a general election this fall, however, no date has yet been set.