Judge rules inac officials ignored evidence in peguis election review
February 23, 2007 - by Joseph Quesnel A Peguis First Nation man who had had his initial challenge of a 2005 band election denied by an Indian Affairs investigator has been vindicated through a recent Federal Court judgment.
"This is not just about Peguis First Nation, this is a victory for all First Nation people," said Glenn Hudson, the original initator of the challenge, at a press conference in Winnipeg.
Hudson was a candidate for the position of chief in 2005 and lost by 29 votes to the incumbent Chief Louis Stevenson. Hudson filed an appeal with Indian Affairs, arguing that Chief Stevenson had engaged in illegal electoral activities, including the purchase of votes in exchange for money, appliances and furniture. His initial challenge, however, was dismissed by Indian Affairs, which found that although there were troubling abuses going on, they did not amount to actual vote buying.
The judgement, delivered by Judge Anne McTavish of Federal Court, stated that officials within Indian Affairs had "ignored and misconstrued" important information pointing to evidence of vote buying in the last election. McTavish also strongly criticized Indian Affairs officials for not sufficiently considering strong evidence about the abuse of the band special needs program (SNP). She made particular note that the criteria for the program was not being followed and that the level of assistance provided to band members was highly irregular immediately prior to the election. During the trial, McTavish made several references to a bar graph that showed massive SNP expenditures during the election period that quickly subsided after it was over. Judge McTavish also noted the investigator ignored compelling evidence of 14 semi-trailer loads of goods yet to be handed out.
"The sheer irregularity of the process followed in the case is compelling circumstantial evidence of the policy being used for collateral purposes, and should, in my view, have raised serious questions in the minds of those examining this appeal."
Although the judge accepted the review by Hudson, she did not act to prevent the upcoming March election in Peguis. Hudson has stated that his lawyer has sent a letter to the Minister of Indian Affairs, asking him to intervene in the matter.
Stevenson is an IA shill, a tow the government line Injun, no wonder the IA couldn't find a reason to boot him out of office. What a joke. How can we clean this up, when it costs us individually to get any action of consequence done and done right. IA won't help out, they just want to keep the status quo apples on the tree.