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Deninu Ku'e sets election date

Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, October 25, 2010

DENINU KU'E/FORT RESOLUTION - An election has been called for Feb. 8, 2011, at Deninu Ku'e First Nation (DKFN) in Fort Resolution.

The election will choose a chief and five councillors.

The new vote may bring an end to a particularly unsettled period in DKFN politics, but acting chief Louis Balsillie is not optimistic that will happen since some band members want an election sooner.

"I know for a fact everybody is not going to agree with it," Balsillie said of the election date. "I know, in my view, it won't settle it, but at least it's out there and people can bite on that for a while, and be angry at us and get upset and do what they have to do."

The unsettled period began when Bill Norn was elected chief in early 2007, He was suspended by band council five months later and then dismissed at the end of that year. In 2008, he filed a still-unresolved lawsuit claiming unjust dismissal.

Balsillie said, if an election was held for chief before February, it would only be to choose someone to complete Norn's term and another election for chief would have to be held in February.

The election is necessary after a vote held on Nov. 2, 2009, was overturned by a court decision.

Balsillie said the band spent about $40,000 fighting the court challenge and can't afford to have two elections within months of each other.

Therese Villeneuve, the candidate for chief who lost to Balsillie by a single vote in November of 2009 and one of the people who launched the court challenge to the election, does not appear too upset with the date of a new vote.

"Sooner would have been better, but that's OK, if there's a date set and they go ahead with it, because sometimes they set dates and something happens and they just cancel it indefinitely," she said.

"Any date would be OK with me as long as we see one coming," she added.

She had hoped an election would be held sooner because the court judgment overturning the last election was released in June.

Villeneuve said she understands the concern over having an election for chief before February and then possible requiring another one when Norn's term expires.

Villeneuve said she plans to run again for chief.

Balsillie said the terms for chief and all councillors will be up in February.

Four of the five councillors will be elected for four-year terms, along with the chief.

"The last councillor that is elected with the lowest vote will be for two years. Then we're back on track," Balsillie said, explaining the band had been operating with six councillors, but only five are required under the band's election code.

The call for nominations will open on Jan. 24 and close on Jan. 31. Balsillie is undecided whether he will run again for chief.

After Norn's dismissal, a faction of the band sought a new election, which eventually led to the vote on Nov. 2, 2009.

However, the band's lawyer recommended that election not go ahead because of Norn's lawsuit.

The election, which resulted from a series of membership meetings, did go ahead at the urging of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, but was overturned by the Federal Court of Canada because it was not called by council in accordance with DKFN's Customary Election Regulations.

The judge did not specifically order a new election, but said a new vote ought to be held.

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