The election in Kanesatake canceled at the last minute

The election scheduled for Saturday in the Kanesatake community was canceled at the last minute on Friday evening, the director of the elections denounced “many gaps” in the electoral code in place.

This code inevitably leads to a faulty electoral processsaid Graeme Drew in a declaration published on Facebook around 9 p.m. Friday.

The election scheduled for Saturday was crucial because the Kanienkehaka community (Mohawk) of Basses-Laurentians is in a political dead end. The post of Grand Chef has been vacant since March, since the band council has decided to dismiss the great chef Victor Bonspille from his functions after months of internal conflicts and a decision of the ethics committee.

The former grand chef Victor Bonspille, the current chief advisor and former grand chef Serge Otsi Simon and the current chef Brant Etienne was on the job. Six posts of advisers were also to be filled.

GRAEME DREW is a specialist in elections in Aboriginal context. He was mandated by the government of Kanesatake to lead the elections.

The electoral code is full of gaps and several candidates do not respect it, he explained to indigenous spaces, to the point that to apply my signature to approve the results of this election would have compromised my integrity.

Five or six names were on the ballots when they should not be includedhe believes. Some candidates did not provide their criminal files and others had potential debts to the council, according to him.

He pointed out former chief Victor Bonspille, who continues to present himself as the great chief et refuses to accept that he must comply with the decision of the ethics committee.

In addition, Mr. Drew claims to have received nearly twenty disputes about the candidates in the running.

He also criticized the procedure in the event of equality: an appeal committee must be formed and its members must avoid using their right to vote, and use it to break equality, if necessary. This is the worst provision of the codehe said.

He also raised that the 2,824 community voters were not duly informed of the electoral process and that the remote voting process included too tight deadlines, compromising the participation of voters outside the community.

Take two in 2026?

He recommends that the community modify its electoral code by taking the time to consult the population, then to keep a vote on the changes. The application period could then be opened.

If everything takes place roundly, the new elections could be held in January 2026. By then, the members of the Council could continue to govern. According to my interpretation, the members of the council can extend their mandates in the event of exceptional circumstances. I think this is the case here.

We will not be able to make a decision as Mr. Drew understands. We are not in a normal situation herebelieves the candidate Serge Otsi Simon.

In an interview, he explained that tensions are extremely lively and people from the cannabis industry want to protect their interests.

Those who really want to work for the interest of the community do not present themselves to public consultations. They find it too stressful.

The center of the political problem, according to him, is the former chief and candidate Victor Bonspille, whom he accuses of standing with the few malicious members of the cannabis industry. Victor Bonspille is not the solution, he is part of the problem.

Mr. Bonspille did not respond to the request for commentary on Aboriginal spaces.

The cancellation of the election is ridiculeaccording to Mr. Simon: There are a lot of holes to fill in the code, but one could have holded a last election and committed to repair the code afterwards.

The candidate Brant Etienne also said he was disappointed. Already, there is part of the community which refuses to recognize the work of the council and the cancellation of the elections gives them ammunition.

He agreed that the code should be changed. He believes that the approach proposed by Graeme Drew is The most expeditious optionbut questions what to do if the community does not agree on a new version of the code.

The council is fractured, but there is a group that holds the strongassured the current chief advisor who asked for another mandate, Amy Beauvais.

The logical way for the continuation of things, even if it will not be popular, would be to correct parts of the code to make it straight and to ensure that the people who arise are well intentioned.

However, she denounces that the announcement was made after the vote in advance, which violates the voting rights of those who have already voted.

One of the candidates for a post of adviser chief, Amanda Simon, denounced in a statement that the decision was made unilaterally et without public consultation or legal justification under the electoral code. She adds: The law cannot be suspended in the middle of the night. Our people deserves transparency, legitimate leaders and a voice for their future.