Vote buying alleged in Roseau River ballot

Manitoba's Roseau River Band is voting on a historic land deal Tuesday that could see it receive $80 million from the Canadian government, but some members claim money is being paidfor votes.

CBC News has obtained amateur video from an advance poll conducted last month that shows a $50 bill being handed to a voter at the polling station for "voter expenses."

Former Roseau Chief Felix Antoine is calling the process"a sham."

"I think everybody is being bought off,and I think people know they are being bought off," he told CBC News.

If approved, the local band, located 90 kilometres south of Winnipeg, would receive $80 million from the federal government. Led by Chief Terry Nelson, the band recently negotiated the settlement with the Canadian government on a land grievance dating back to 1903.

The payment is compensation for land in the Red River Valley, which the government took from the natives and opened up to settlement. The settlements now make up the Rural Municipality of Franklin and part of Emerson.

Federal rules require that 50 per cent plus one must vote in favour of the deal. There aremore than1,400 registered members.

'People will be paid off'

The deal also gives the chief and council power to spend the money on community projects as they see fit and provides a $5,000 payment to every band member.

"There's a few certain individuals who will benefit from the whole deal," Antoine said. "They'll be getting their money and everything.And people will be paid off."

Nelson could not be reached for comment.

But this is not the first time he has been criticized for his practices. A group of members calling themselves the Custom Council took Nelson and other band councillors to court in 2007 on allegations of misspending of the community's finances.

In a decision released in 2009, a Federal Court judge ruled the council had jurisdiction to order Nelson out. The ruling also said Nelson acted with "rogue behaviour" in governing the band.

This prompted Antoine to declare himself chief, but Nelson claimed he had the support of the people of Roseau River. He noted that the Custom Council filed its complaint against him two yearsearlier. In May 2009, there was another band election and Nelson was re-elected with an overwhelming majority.