Louise Spence said she was barred from running for chief at Red Sucker Lake First Nation

Louise Spence said she was barred from running for chief
in a June 6 election at Red Sucker Lake First Nation in northern Manitoba because she is separated from her husband. She is the sister of Elijah Harper. The rules that were put in place by elders who have long passed and only enforced recently, she said. Candidates for chief must be married. No common-law partners or divorcees would be allowed for the position. “I feel discriminated against,” she told the National Post. “I feel judged.” Defenders say the communities are very religious. They’re meant to respect the wishes of those who came before, the National Post reports.