National president removed from office

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Newly elected Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) president Donna Weaselchild, former president of the Alberta chapter, has been removed from office.

Jean Gleason, acting NWAC president, has indicated the national group is acting according to association bylaws which state anyone who is elected nationally must have the full support of her own provincial group. According to Alberta Native Women's Association (ANWA) members Ruth Kidder and Doris Calliou, Weaselchild did not have that support.

As stated in an earlier Windspeaker report, Weaselchild has received exactly 51 per cent majority she needed to become national president. However, many Alberta members felt her election went against the spirit of the group's constitution because they were so unhappy with her performance as provincial president.

Gleason has acknowledged that Weaselchild can regain her position as national president if she can rally the support of her chapter.

Unfortunately, Weaselchild could not be reached for comment regarding another possible bid for the national title.