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West Point band to select new chief Paul Bickford Northern News Services Published Monday, May 16, 2011
The nominees for the leadership position are cousins Courtney Cayen and Gwen Cayen. The vote was called after Abner Cayen, who was acclaimed chief in an election in March of last year, resigned from the position on April 29 for personal reasons. The May 16 by-election will also fill two vacancies on council. The three nominees are Kandis Thomas, Lucille Lafferty and Sonya Frise. In an election last year, three councillors were acclaimed to the four seats, leaving one seat to be filled. Gwen Cayen, who was elected to council last year, created the second vacancy by deciding to run for chief. Gwen Cayen declined to comment on her decision to seek the chief's position when contacted by News/North. Courtney Cayen, 34, said one of the reasons he is running for chief is he wasn't sure anyone else was going to run and he wanted to ensure there was at least one candidate. "I just didn't want to leave the band hanging there without a chief," he said. Courtney Cayen said his goals as chief would be developed in consultation with the band council after the election. West Point First Nation returning officer Heather Coakwell said she is pleased with the number of candidates in the byelection. She noted the West Point First Nation's bylaws call for a byelection upon the resignation of a chief if the next regular election is more than 12 months away. The next regularly-scheduled election will not be held until 2013. West Point First Nation has 49 eligible voters. Before last year's election, the band had been without elected leadership for three years. In April of 2007, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) dismissed the elected leadership and placed the band under third-party management. The band had undergone years of political instability and financial difficulties before INAC stepped in. While under third-party management, band members developed and ratified a new election code.
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