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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
After considering allegations of fraud and mismanagement made against Dettah Chief Edward Sangris and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation band council, the federal government has decided not to intervene.

Former band councillor Barbara Powless-Labelle holds a copy of a petition she has been circulating to have Chief Edward Sangris and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation band council removed from power. - Miranda Scotland/NNSL photo

Former band councillor Barbara Powless-Labelle sent a letter to the government in May outlining concerns of "corrupt" council members, a lack of public consultation and "mismanagement" of funds from the band's impacts benefit agreement (IBA).

Zoe Raemer, acting director general for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, stated her department has reviewed the information and decided that it will not be stepping in due to insufficient documentation on the issues.

"I would recommend that the YKDFN resolve the governance issues internally in accordance with the community's process or by the courts," Raemer wrote in a letter addressed to Sangris dated July 24.

Powless-Labelle said she accepts the government's decision, although it hasn't stopped her efforts to enact change. From June 21 to July 21 Powless-Labelle circulated a petition to have Sangris and the band council removed from power. Now, she said she has enough signatures to make that a reality.

"It was a successful campaign and it was a successful petition," Powless-Labelle said. "There are definitely enough signatures."

Powless-Labelle says more than 140 band members have endorsed her petition to remove the elected officials from office.

According to the Yellowknives 2009 election policy, council members can be forced out of office if at least 40 per cent of all Yellowknives voters sign a petition for their removal and the document is submitted to the band office within 30 days. Also, the matter would be taken to an impartial committee who would decide on the matter.

In the 2009 election for chief of Ndilo there were 833 eligible voters but only 351 cast a ballot. Based on that number Powless-Labelle said she has the 40 per cent needed. Almost all of the signatures, she added, came from members living in the city.

"I was only able to contact a few people down south so that was a problem," she said, adding she is still optimistic. "I'm hoping this is definitely going to make some change."

The petition accuses council members of public drunkenness, not declaring conflicts of interest when voting on council matters, and not seeking proper consent from band members when approving budgets.

It also questions the council's failure to remove Sangris after he was charged with sexual assault and calls into questions the decision to reprimand Ndilo Chief Ted Tsetta after he endorsed a letter calling for the removal of Sangris and the council, which includes Alfred Baillargeon, Jonas Sangris, Peter Sangris, Mary Rose Sundberg, Roy Erasmus Sr., Cecile Beaulieu, Napoleon Mackenzie, Phillip Liske and Paul Betsina.

The next election in Ndilo is scheduled for 2013 while Dettah's next election is set for 2015.

In July, Sangris and members of council disputed the allegations against them, saying there is nothing going on.

"This current petition spreads false information and demands correction," Sangris told media at a news conference last month.

Powless-Labelle said she will not be handing the petition over to the band office and instead plans to send it to the federal government for them to review the results and count the names.

"I'm not going to be sharing the names with the First Nation because people wanted to protect their privacy on this petition," she said.

If the petition is successful, Powless-Labelle said the band membership won't need the government to intervene. Instead, she said, the new band council will take care of the issues.

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