Peigan chief denies funds allegations, protests ouster

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PEIGAN RESERVE - Chief Peter Yellow Horn angrily denied any wrong-doing after allegations of mismanagement of the $750,000 allocated by the province for a study of the potential impact of the Oldman River Dam on the Peigan Nation.

Yellow Horn called a press conference March 2 at his home to contest a decision February 27 by four Peigan councillors to temporarily suspend him.

At a council meeting, four councillors voted in favour of a motion by councillor George Little Moustache to suspend Yellow Horn as chief "until a full inquiry into the resource development impact department." Yellow Horn was absent from that meeting.

The council appointed councillor and well-known Native rights research, Albert Yellow Horn as acting chief. Two councillors voted against the motion and four others abstained.

Yellow Horn says the decision does not hold "because the Department of Indian Affairs are the only people who could suspend me."

He was to hold a band meeting Thursday night to explain his side of the story to the Peigan Nation. He will also call on the provincial government to conduct an audit on the impact study.

The study, undertaken March through December, 1986 included the cultural, spiritual, economic and ecological aspects of the proposed dam on the Old Man River.

Of the $750,000, $236,000 was designated for administration and $514,000 for hiring of consultants.

Also suspended was John McDougall, economic development officer for the Peigan Nation, who said he was not surprised about the decision. Norman Grier, former councillor who was defeated in the January band elections, will also be investigated in the inquiry.

"We did it (the impact study) legally with the great desire of determining the pros and cons of the proposed dam," said Grier.

Chief Yellow Horn said the new and inexperienced councillors were "used as pawns for some of the dissidents' concerns." He did not elaborate further.

However, Glen North Peigan, a former councillor who ran a close second to Yellow Horn in the recent band elections, said he welcomes Yellow Horn's call for an audit.

"Corruption runs deep here and it's too bad that the Peigan have to wash their dirty laundry in public. But to correct the problem, we have to completely dismantle the organization and start all over again," said North Peigan.

He said it's unfortunate that the Peigan scandal is receiving a lot of media attention because "it hurts the negotiating position of the Peigan Nation with the provincial government on the proposed dam."

Chief Yellow Horn has vowed to sue individuals responsible for his suspension for slander and defamation of character.