Kehewin band throws chief out

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Kehewin, AB.

Gordon Gadwa is under mounting pressure to formally step down as chief of Kehewin Reserve.

Members expressed a strong lack of confidence in the chief at a meeting Aug. 31 held at the reserve's cultural centre, which drew close to 90 residents.

Gadwa, 44, has ruled the east-central Alberta reserve for more than 10 years. But there's growing dissatisfaction with his leadership, which some members say is dictatorial in

style.

The meeting came after a heated debate over who actually is chief of the 900-member band, located 15 km south of Bonnyville.

Gadwa insists he still is, although six of the eight band council members voted Aug. 17 to oust him and then appointed councillor Gloria Badger as acting band chief.

A 100-name petition has also been sent to Indian Affairs demanding Gadwa be removed from office.

The department says it still recognizes Gadwa, a decision which some band members resent.

"This is our reserve; it is not Indian Affairs' reserve," said Irvin Kehewin, spokesman for the dissatisfied band members.

"We demanded he be ousted, Indian Affairs can't tell us otherwise," said Ronnie Paul.

Kehewin, who ran against Gadwa in the last election in March 1988, denied the situation between Gadwa supporters and opponents is a stand-off.

He insisted Gadwa is "not chief anymore," no ifs, ands or buts about it.

Kehewin is the great, great grandson of Chief Kehewin, who signed Treaty 6 on behalf of the band.

Feelings are running very high in the community.

Someone, apparently a youth according to one band member, has erased Gadwa's name from the scroll of chiefs on a sign at the reserve's powwow grounds.

Elder Johnny Paul, a World War II vet, said the status of Gadwa as a Treaty Indian is in question.

It is Paul's understanding that Gadwa was made only a temporary member of the reserve until he was 21-years-old.

"At this time, we don't have a chief. The people of Kehewin can't accept him as chief," said Paul.

But Gadwa's mother, Angeline Badger, scoffed at suggestions her son doesn't have treaty status. He's held it since 1946, when he was one-year-old, she said.

"He's a human being. He's not a dog," she told the meeting. "He's being working very hard for the people.

Gadwa was accused of running a one-man show, leaving band councillors and members in the dark on key issues, and showing favoritism.

Concerns were also raised about the band's finances.

"We're up to our heads in debt but by how much? We want to know that," said Irvin Kehewin.

Members decided to postpone a possible election until an audit of the band's books is completed in two to three months.

Elder George John Kehewin said Gadwa "lied" to band members when he led them to believe their elections were under band custom; they are in fact governed by the Indian

Act.

"We don't want that kind of person to be a chief of ours. That's why we fired him," he said.

Important issues aren't being addressed under Gadwa's leadership, said Lucy Badger in Cree. Meeting chairman Norbert Jebeaux translated her remarks into English.

"There's a lack of employment opportunities. People are hungry," she said.

Reserve housing problems also troubled Julia John. "So many young people don't have a home," she said, noting some houses on the reserve are home for three families.

"Some people have two jobs or three jobs," she said, "and some of us don't have a job."

"A lot of people on this reserve are hungry," said Ida Watchmaker.

A band office worker accused Gadwa of exercising total financial control. "It's like a dictatorship. It's got to change."

Gadwa was locked out of his office by hostile band members after the petition was turned down by Indian Affairs.

In a telephone interview from his reserve home, Gadwa claimed he is still backed by a majority of band member and he is still chief of his band.

A spokesman for the Bonnyville RCMP detachment said the tumultuous situation on the reserve is being closely monitored by police. Two officers attended Thursday's meeting.

"We've been sitting down with them so we can come up with a peaceful solution for both sides." Bob Curiston said.

Curiston agreed the coup attempt had the potential for turning violent but he said the RCMP was given assurances by band members the situation would be handled

diplomatically.

A motion that an election be held immediately was defeated at Thursday's meeting. But the members did vote to fire band lawyer Sharon Venne. The motion was made by

Jebeaux.

"She only represented one person, Gordon. She did the legwork for him. She answered to only one boss," explained Irvin Kehewin, who served for nine years on the council

prior to last year.

Gadwa didn't attend the meeting. Nor, apparently, did anyone from Indian Affairs.