An emotional, three-hour meeting in the Penticton Indian Band community hall Wednesday night saw nominations of 10 candidates for council, though some abstained from the process, calling it 香蕉视频直播渋llegal.香蕉视频直播�
In a rare move, members of the media were allowed into Wednesday night香蕉视频直播檚 band meeting, which was intended to see the nomination of candidates looking to replace five resigned councillors, giving a glimpse at the inner processes of PIB politics.
But that was, to some degree, obscured by a clash in the PIB hall, as a seemingly even-split crowd of around 100 members sought to determine who was the rightful electoral officer 香蕉视频直播� the contracted third party Julia Buck, or the electoral officer of 34 years Valerie Baptiste.
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Baptiste was elected the officer last election, but in an effort to seek impartiality was given the slip by the band, which then hired Buck for the process.
香蕉视频直播淚f we are going to follow a process, then I think you have to acknowledge that democratically, Val香蕉视频直播檚 position was terminated wrongfully,香蕉视频直播� said one man, noting the democratically elected electoral officer was stripped of the title unilaterally by chief and council.
That was the position of many people in the room, many of whom also sided with a proposed referendum on a chief and council recall, a call made by Baptiste prior to her termination from the position, after the last two councillors resigned.
The question of whether the current chief and council hold quorum 香蕉视频直播� the legal minimum number of elected officials to form government 香蕉视频直播� was a big part of that call for a recall vote, and part of Baptiste香蕉视频直播檚 original declaration for a new election.
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But supporters of Chief Chad Eneas countered that as electoral officer, Baptiste only had authority to oversee processes, not declare a new election.
They also pointed to legal opinions the PIB sought and made public last month in a fiery news release, which supported the position of chief and council and its claim to quorum and denied any legal basis for a recall vote.
Though the question of a recall vote hovered in the background for most of the night, the notion of which was verbalized only a few times. For most of the meeting, the question of Buck香蕉视频直播檚 legitimacy as an electoral officer.
In fact, an offer was made to Baptiste, which would allow her to sit at Buck香蕉视频直播檚 side as a co-officer, which she declined, citing personal beliefs.
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Meanwhile, supporters of Eneas accused supporters of former chief Jonathan Kruger and several former councillors of holding up a meeting that was never intended to discuss a recall vote, but rather to determine the candidates for the upcoming byelection.
香蕉视频直播淲e felt disrespected when the nomination meeting was shut down. We were disrespected when we were told they want the whole council re-elected,香蕉视频直播� Jeannette Armstrong said.
That was echoed by a PIB staff, who asked not to be named due to the person香蕉视频直播檚 position with the band.
香蕉视频直播淭hose who continuously say 香蕉视频直播榯he people, the people need to speak,香蕉视频直播� those people do not speak for me, and they shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be speaking for anybody else,香蕉视频直播� the PIB staffer said.
香蕉视频直播淭he current chief and council that are in right now, they香蕉视频直播檙e doing an amazing job. I think you have to understand politics to be able to understand and realize that they香蕉视频直播檙e doing a good thing. 香蕉视频直播� As an employee, I香蕉视频直播檓 seeing the change for the good.香蕉视频直播�
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While the notion of a non-confidence motion only recently came to light publicly, it was indicated in the meeting that a motion was put forth in February, only a few months after chief and council were elected.
Wednesday night香蕉视频直播檚 meeting saw ebbs and flows of distractions 香蕉视频直播� one speaker would hold the floor for several minutes, and at times get applause from the entire room. Some could make the crowd laugh, while at other times there were several people speaking at the same time in raised voices and harsh tones.
As communications officer Dawn Russell read out the list of eligible voters in the byelection, a process that took several minutes, bickering continued. Nomination forms were filled and signed and handed to Buck.
But some participants declared the nomination process to be illegal, during a reading of all of the candidates and their nominators. Opposers to the process abstained and Buck noted the process was done under protest.
Buck said her next move is to send out mail-in ballots, and allow the band to determine whether she is still needed to be part of the election process.
Of the four remaining members of chief and council, just Coun. Elliot Tonasket was at the meeting.
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dustin.godfrey@pentictonwesternnews.com
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