Hay River (Dec 11/06) - A power struggle has erupted at West Point First Nation in Hay River.

Callers to the band office seeking Chief Karen Felker are being told that she is no long chief, and that Coun. Sonya Cayen is now acting chief.

But according to Felker, she is still the legitimate chief and hopes the matter can be resolved at a membership meeting in January.

She explained a "handful" of the band's 72 members - including four of six councillors - are trying to force her from office.

"They got together at a private meeting and tried to remove me," she said, noting the gathering took place on Nov. 13 without notice to most band members.

Felker said she went to work after the Remembrance Day weekend and was handed a band council resolution (BCR) and letter stating she had been removed from office.

The resolution is invalid unless signed by the chief, she said. "Why would I sign a BCR to remove myself?"

Felker said it appears her attempted removal is a return to competition between family groups for control of the band.

"I thought we had moved past that," she said, noting it's the same kind of thing that happened for years.

In fact, Felker herself was elected chief of a dissident council in late 2003. The dissidents were opposed to the council led by then chief Bobby Cayen.

Felker said the current situation and the one in 2003 are different in that the dissidents back then initially tried to work with Chief Bobby Cayen.

In 2004, West Point instituted a new election process in which the band's three family groupings - the Cayens, the Michels and the Thomases, of which Felker is a part - were guaranteed representation on council. Three elders were appointed - one from each family - and three councillors were elected, again one from each family. The chief was elected at large. Felker is now almost halfway through a four-year term in office.

In response to her ousting, Felker called an emergency meeting for Nov. 24, but the nine band members, including two councillors, who showed up didn't create a quorum.

She is staying away from the band office until the matter is resolved at the membership meeting, explaining she is tired of the back-stabbing and does not want to put herself into an uncomfortable situation.

Felker noted she is still regarded by Indian Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) as the legitimate chief, which is confirmed by a INAC spokesperson.

"As far as we're concerned, Karen is still the recognized chief," said Linda Molner, INAC's manager of Indian registration, revenue and band governance in Yellowknife.

Molner noted INAC won't become directly involved in trying to settle the leadership dispute. "It's definitely an internal matter."

Repeated attempts to reach Sonya Cayen for comment were unsuccessful. According to the band office, neither Cayen nor the other councillors who removed Felker will be commenting on the situation.