Mosquito election result appealed, to be investigated

The Mosquito, Grizzly Bear’s Head, Lean Man First Nation continues to be plagued by election controversy.

The most recent election held on April 20 of this year, in which Daniel Starchief was returned as chief, is currently under appeal.

In response to the News-Optimist’s inquiry on the matter, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada said that allegations of vote buying and voting irregularities have been made about the vote.

According to INAC, a copy of the appeal was sent to all the candidates in the election and the electoral officer, who were invited to provide a response. INAC states this is in accordance with the Indian Band Election Regulations.

INAC also states the department will be appointing an investigator under section 13(1) of these regulations to obtain additional information to assist in making a final determination. 

Some further information has come to light about the nature of the allegations involving the 2017 band election.

According to documents obtained by the News-Optimist, an election appeal was filed by North Battleford lawyer Aaron Friedman with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, also known as INAC, dated June 1, 2017.

Friedman was acting on behalf of Glenn Moosomin, who ran for band councillor in the April 20 vote and was unsuccessful. Four affidavits were filed in support of the appeal, all of which alleged various corrupt practices in the election.

One of the sworn affidavits alleged $120 in cash was received in exchange for the sale of a blank ballot. Another affidavit included a more serious accusation: that marijuana was offered to more than one individual in exchange for a promise to vote for a particular council candidate.

There was also an accusation in one affidavit that ballots went missing and were sold to election candidates.

Starchief and others facing these allegations are denying any wrongdoing on their part.

The News-Optimist has also been provided with a July 4 letter from lawyer Dwayne Stonechild of the Stonechild and Racine law firm, which was sent to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada in response to Friedman’s letter and affidavits.  

Stonechild’s correspondence called for the election appeal to be dismissed due to “lack of evidence and unsupported allegations.” Also included were affidavits from Chief Daniel Starchief, Jason Stone, Fenton Osecap and Joel Starchief, in which all four individuals have denied all the allegations of vote buying or corruption.

This is not the first time that Mosquito First Nation has been embroiled in controversy over a band election.

The April 20, 2015 election of Starchief as chief had been set aside by INAC on Oct. 26, 2016, also over allegations of vote-buying.

According to the INAC decision, “it was found that there was credible, corroborated evidence to conclude that vote buying occurred in connection with the election for chief.”

There had also previously been allegations of corruption with the Mosquito band election of April 14, 2011, in which Noel Stone. Jr. was elected chief. But that election was appealed soon after due to similar allegations of vote-buying and corruption.

Stone and two other band councillors were eventually found guilty under the Indian Act of “corrupt practice” in connection to that election, resulting in their immediate removal from office. Stone later faced criminal charges over the election corruption, however those were eventually dropped.