Mikisew Cree First Nation members launch petition to remove chief and council

Concerned members of the Mikisew Cree First Nation have launched a petition to remove their chief and council, citing a lack of consultation with the use of funds from an upcoming treaty settlement.

On Oct.15, MikisewCree members will vote on a $136-million federal government settlement. The settlement is under Treaty 8, which was originally ratified to give agricultural benefits to First Nations that wanted to take up farming. At least 21 First Nations, including the Mikisew Cree, have made claims under the treaty. Advanced polls for the vote are already taking place.

• Federal government begins to make good on 100-year-old promise to Treaty 8 First Nations

"Of my understanding, they [the signatories of the petition]believe that they have not been properly consulted by the leadership or their best interests have not been reflected and they're not being heard for what their concerns are," says Trista Simpson, aMikisewCree member.

According to member Roy Vermillion, many members don't have an issue with the settlement itself, but rather with the Whachask Trust, which was designed with the Royal Trust Corporation of Canada to manage the money awarded to the MikisewCree.

TheWhachaskTrust has been presented as a special agreement "to ensure that present and future generations ofMikisewmembers will benefit from the settlement of the claim."

It is described as providing"a reliable source of income," and could be used "for various community purposes such as capital improvements and infrastructure, education and training, housing, economic development."

Vermillionsaidhe looked at the trust agreement and believes "there's potential for the trust to go broke in 25 years." He saidmembers have been "put into a corner" and are unable toreject the trust without rejecting the settlement.

He believes the trust "was unilaterally developed by the chief and council along with their lawyers," and pointed toan "extreme lack of meaningful and adequate consultation" as reasons for his frustrations with the current leadership.

Vermillionalso saidhe feels "verylied to."

"I don't feel that chief andcouncil has looked after all theMikisewCree First Nation members interests," he said."It's all a big lie."

Members allege scare tactics

Few members of the Mikisew Cree are willing to talk publicly, and Vermillion saidscaretactics are taking place.

"Some of the leaders are going to people saying if you don't vote yes, we might not have an agricultural benefit agreement in the next 10years or more and it's gonna cost a lot of legal costs," he said.

On Oct.2, a meeting was organized in Yellowknife for Mikisew Cree members. Eleven showed up, and sevensigned the petition, according to member James Jenka.

The meeting was meant to discuss the information package members received on the settlement, but Jenka saidthere istoo much confusion and too many unansweredquestions, just days before the vote on the settlement.

"I feel I am being rushed to vote," he said. "It needs to slow down a little bit."

A spokesperson from Indigenous and Northern Affairs said no settlement can be finalized without the vote and approval of First Nation members.

"If a negative vote is reached, the parties would need to review the results and meet to discuss the implications," the spokesperson said in an email.

"If a favourable vote is reached, the settlement agreement must also be approved by Canada before it can be finalized and the compensation paid to the First Nation."

The petition requires100 signatures in order to triggera special meeting of the membership. CBC made several attempts to interview the chief and councillors of theMikisewCree First Nation, but wasunsuccessful.