THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
A motion of non-confidence has been passed in the leadership of Chief Frieda Martselos at a membership meeting of Salt River First Nation (SRFN).
Four councillors with Salt River First Nation -- three who have been ousted from council, although they refuse to recognize that dismissals as proper -- led a membership meeting on May 13 at which a non-confidence motion was passed in the leadership of Chief Frieda Martselos. The councillors at the meeting were, left to right, Joline Beaver, Connie Benwell and Judith Gale, all who have been reputedly ousted from council, and Ronnie Schaefer, who is still on the official council. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo
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However, what impact -- if any -- the vote will have remains to be seen.
The May 13 membership meeting was called by three ousted band councillors, who refuse to accept their dismissals, and another councillor still sitting on band council. They claimed to have a quorum of council for the membership meeting.
Three band councillors -- Joline Beaver, Connie Benwell and Judith Gale -- were voted out of office at an April 29 special membership meeting called by Martselos. They were joined at the May 13 meeting by Coun. Ronnie Schaefer, who remains on council.
SRFN member Helen Hudson-MacDonald moved the motion of non-confidence in Martselos for not working with all band members since she became chief for the second time on April 2.
"There's only one way to stop it," said Hudson-MacDonald. "We have to take back our band. We have to take back the band office."
Eileen Beaver, another band member, suggested the motion be amended to note that Martselos also didn't work with the three ousted councillors and Schaefer.
Benwell, one of the councilors booted out, said the non-confidence motion falls under the band's rules of conduct and she listed a variety of alleged infractions by Martselos, including unfairness, not treating elected officials with respect, lack of transparency, not providing 14 days notice for the April 29 membership meeting, and more.
"Since she got in as chief from the byelection that was held on April 2, 2013, she was very aggressive and began her first chief and council meeting on April 3 with aggressive dictatorship," Benwell said.
The ousted councillor said Martselos treated council like the enemy.
"This all began with the chief of Salt River displaying bullying tactics toward her council," Benwell said.
The motion passed with 29 band members in favour and one abstention, which was Henry Beaver Jr. who did not vote since he is appealing the April 2 byelection in which he was a candidate for chief, because of his concerns about how the vote was run by the electoral officer.
The membership meeting began with more than 40 people signed in, but some had left during the four-hour gathering before the non-confidence vote was held.
Following the vote of non-confidence, Schaefer -- the undisputed councillor -- stated his objections to Martselos' leadership.
The chief has not fulfilled her responsibility to consult with council, he said. "She bull-headed her way in, did everything her way."
Schaefer also described Martselos' leadership style as dictatorial, and called on people to work together to change the situation and make the chief listen to council.
"And we're making a stand tonight," Schaefer said to applause.
Martselos did not respond to interview requests.
However, Salt River's official position on the May 13 membership meeting was stated in a May 6 advertisement in News/North.
"This so-called 'Special Membership Meeting' has no legal status under Salt River First Nation law," the ad stated. "Particularly, it has no legal status under the Amended Customary Election Regulations and anyone who may choose to attend such a meeting has no legal power to censure, or remove Chief Martselos from office."
Martselos had previously served as chief for four years until she resigned in September 2011.
At the May 13 membership meeting, concern was also raised about band spending and finances. Gale, one of the reputedly ousted councillors, expressed concern about band spending, which she claimed was into the millions of dollar.
"If we continue on with that outrageous spending, by the time I'm 80, we're not going to have any money," she said.
A number of other motions were passed during the meeting, among them a call to change the band's customary election regulations to take out any reference to the chief acting alone.
The meeting also passed a motion for the current election appeal to proceed. It has been stalled by the illness of a member of the election review committee. The motion called on the band to advertise for someone to replace the ill member of the committee.
During the meeting, most motions passed almost unanimously, except for some abstentions and an opposing vote by band member Jeannie Marie-Jewell, who challenged the validity of the gathering and refused to sign in.
"You don't even have a quorum of council," said Marie-Jewell, a former GNWT cabinet minister.
She was told four councillors had signed into the meeting and created a quorum.
Marie-Jewell left the meeting before the vote of non-confidence was passed against Martselos.
According to a notice posted in Fort Smith, Martselos and her council have called a special meeting of electors for May 21 to appoint an electoral officer for a byelection to fill "three vacant councillor positions" and to appoint a three-person election review committee and three alternates.
No date has yet been set for a byelection.
The next general election for the band is scheduled for September 2014. At that time, a chief will be elected and all six seats on council will be filled.
