Manitoba First Nations working together to revise their election process and schedule
Grand Chief, INAC look at election overhaul
Mia Rabson - April 11, 2009
OTTAWA -- The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is working on a plan to standardize band elections across the province, including setting term limits and an aboriginal electoral officer.
The Manitoba plan is unfolding as Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl works on an overhaul of a number of Indian Act governance rules, including elections.
AMC Grand Chief Ron Evans hopes the change now being readied will give greater continuity to First Nations leadership in Manitoba and also put an end to the repeated appeals and electoral shenanigans that have a number of Manitoba reserves mired in controversy over election results.
In January, the AMC general assembly passed a resolution to develop a new electoral system that could be taken to all Manitoba First Nations in a referendum as early as the fall. The system would see every reserve hold an election on the same day, on a four-year cycle, similar to the process for Manitoba municipalities.
As well, said Evans, a provincial First Nations electoral officer would be created to oversee the elections, like Elections Manitoba does for provincial elections.
"We can put in conduct rules and regulations," said Evans.
He said the standardized dates and formats would mean less changeover in First Nations leadership. Right now many First Nations hold elections every two years which, Evans says, means there is little time for actually implementing anything, and also means chiefs are afraid to make tough decisions because their re-election campaign is always right around the corner.
It's also hoped the new system will rout out corruption in elections, introduce transparency and give a greater sense of legitimacy to the chiefs, said Evans.
Electoral problems have been a recurring theme on some Manitoba First Nations, including within the last three months Little Saskatchewan First Nation, Roseau River Anishinabe First Nation and Norway House Cree Nation.
Right now, there are two ways First Nations can hold elections for their chief and council.
Thirty-seven Manitoba bands follow the rules set out by the Indian Act, which require elections for chief and council to be held every two years. Each reserve must elect one chief, and then one councillor for every 100 residents.
The rest of Manitoba's reserves set their own electoral rules via a process known as band custom.