Bearspaw Band members in Eden Valley will vote for chief and two band councilors Dec. 6.
The last two Bearspaw Band elections were held in August in 2011 and 2013.
In 2011 a federal judge ordered an election be held when chief and council failed to call an election eight months after their term ended. The election was held in August and the previous chief and council were ousted.
In 2013 a referendum was held on the issue of the length of the terms. Band members voted to extend the political term from two years to three. In January 2014 band council signed a resolution to extend the term to December.
Bearspaw First Nation CEO Rob Shotclose said all three Stoney Nation bands, which includes the Wesley band and the Chiniki band, have traditionally held their election in December on the same day.
“Since the ‘50s have had formalized election systems all three Stoney bands have our elections the same day,” he said. “The other two bands are still on that schedule.”
Shotclose said they consulted with a lawyer and were told a band council resolution (BCR), which is signed by chief and council, was sufficient to change the date back to December from August.
“It was the wish of council to put it back once and for all to the traditional time,” he said.
Shotclose said the resolution was posted when it was passed in January 2014, but said he doesn’t know if it is still publicly posted in Eden Valley.
“I don’t know if it is still posted, or if it has been torn down,” he said.
Summer is not a good time for voter turnout, Shotclose added.
“A lot of people go to Powwows and rodeos and ball tournaments,” he said.
Shotclose said he has heard some people are questioning the move, but said nobody has called him or came in to express concerns to him.
Eden Valley Councillor Larry Daniels also said nobody has questioned him about the election.
“I haven’t heard any complaints,” he said. “When it was discussed, people want to go back to the old time.”
Daniels and fellow Councillor Rex Daniels were to meet with elders in the community about the issue on July 15, he said, but that meeting was cancelled.
There are plans to post the band council resolution declaring a December election at public buildings like the band office and health centre, Daniels said.
Although, no one has told him they are opposed to a December election, he said it could be controversial because of the election delay in 2011.
“Maybe some people would like it and some might not,” he said. “Last time that is what they did. They didn’t call an election for seven or eight months after.”
Nomination day is Nov. 21. Larry Daniels said he is running again.
