Bloods re-elect Roy Fox

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BLOOD RESERVE

In what was termed the lowest voter turnout ever, only five incumbents were re-elected including Blood Chief Roy Fox in the November 27 tribal elections.

Incumbent councillors who were re-elected to two year terms are: Stephen Fox, Randy Bottle, Andy Black Water, Rosie Many Grey Horses and Bernard Fall Man.

Defeated in this year's elections were Everett Soop, Joyce Goodstriker, Orton Eagle Speaker and Dan Weasel Moccasin. Incumbent councillors Esther Tailfeathers and Jim Wells were not nominated. Former Blood councillor Henry Day Rider had resigned in July because of the council's failure to enforce conflict of interest codes.

Elected for their first term in political officer are: Virna Many Fingers, personnel clerk; Levine Divine, economic development secretary; Richard Day Chief, who worked

in the fire department with Protection Services; Jerry Wells, self-employed farmer and rancher; Gilbert Eagle Bear, University of Lethbridge student; Richard Mills, board member of the Blood Tribe Health centre; and Pete Big Head, Blackfoot commentator with Indian News Media.

Despite only 47% of the estimated 3,199 eligible voters who cast their ballots, Chief Roy Fox managed to win his fourth term in office. He received 142 votes more than his nearest competitor, Addison Crow. Crow was "pleasantly surprised " about the high number of votes he received. He tallied 250 votes.

Chief Fox, in a later interview, said he does not actively campaign at election time. "Actually, a number of people campaign for me on a one-to-one basis. We don't use the public media.

"It's up to the people to decide whether they want me or not based on my past performance as chief. The reserve is small enough that most people are aware of what

I'm doing," said Chief Fox.

Asked if it was unusual that more than five councillors were not re-elected, Chief Fox said it was a "fair turnover". He said there has been as many as seven incumbents who were defeated in past council elections.

The Blood protesters who stormed Blood Council chambers in October did not gain any seats on council. They had five candidates who were in the running for one of the 12 posts on Council.

According to a source who wishes to remain anonymous, in 1980 a number of "radical" Bloods were elected. But the group had overspent millions of dollars in that year's budget to keep up with the demands and wishes of their membership.

"I'm glad that they (current Blood protesters) were not elected. The Band is now in deficit because of that council's (1980) overspending." The source did not say how much the 1980 council had overspent.

However, Chief Fox said that he can't recall if the 1980 Council had significantly overextended their budget. "I need the band's financial statements from six years ago to compare. But at this time, the Band had more funds to expend, more monies from our natural resources, and naturally more of our own funds."

Chief Fox admits the new-elected council has tough challenges ahead of them. With decreasing government funds, a depressed agricultural economy (which is the main industry on the reserve) and the rapidly depleting natural resources such as oil, will all be important issues the new council will have to deal with.

He said council will plan their preliminary strategies next week to set priorities and goals for their term.

Blood Chief and Council were sworn in on December in Standoff by Blood Indian lawyer Eugene Creighton.