Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Fort Smith (June 10/02) - An election will be held sometime this summer for a new council for Salt River First Nation in Fort Smith.

However, Chief Jim Schaefer says no exact date has yet been set.

"Council will decide that, not me," Schaefer says.

The last SRFN election was held in February 2000, and there have been grumblings among some band members that the council had exceeded its two-year mandate.

Schaefer says he has heard those concerns. "There are always a few people not pleased, even though we are acting in the best interests of the band."

The chief explains the band operates by "custom election," which basically means by tradition.

"But we want to set up some rules," he says, adding the current council hopes to have new election rules in place for the coming vote.

He says the current council wants to ensure this month's signing ceremony of a treaty land entitlement agreement with the federal government goes smoothly and the agreement is implemented properly.

Schaefer also notes that, while the SRFN does not hold its elections under the Indian Act, that legislation also allows the term of a council to be extended by up to one year in special circumstances.