Barriere Lake still at odds?

The federal government knew there could be problems when they recognized their favourite band council over another. In the latest round of attempts to resolve this problem, the Algonquin Nation Secretariat (ANS) funded former Liberal MP Keith Penner to act as a facilitator. He would then, with the community, fix the problems of two opposing band councils.

Penner’s announcement in a report saying there is a newly elected band council is being contested. “These actions are viewed as an insult to the Elders, the customary process, and the people who acted according to the code with integrity, good faith and due process.”

This latest missive from the Algonquins of Barriere Lake say they withdrew from membership in the ANS due to ANS Grand Chief Norman Young benefitting from the situation and refusing to work with the council led by Chief Casey Ratt.

The legal or illegal Chief Ratt has questioned the Penner report saying it is biased, totally false and misleading. He says Penner did nothing but talk to the people who hired him unilaterally. Ratt says Penner decided on the re-election process, said they represented the majority (who Ratt says already made their wishes known by putting him in as chief) and made their selection.

Ratt says this is a lingering form of colonialism that is both ignorant and arrogant. He worries Indian Affairs may come in and impose the Indian Act Elections on Barriere Lake.

The Nation would like to congratulate the true Band Council of Barriere Lake, whoever you may be and give our hopes and prayers to the people they represent that the confusion will be lessened in the near future.