Turtle Island

Kwey! Kwey! - Welcome to -                                                                                 May 2002 Newsletter

TURTLE ISLAND

The official newsletter of the Algonquin Nation Negotiation Directorate (ANND) and of the Algonquin Nation Tribal Council (ANTC) membership of the Greater Golden Lake Region.

Greater Golden Lake Community Meeting

Saturday May 11, 2002 at 1:00 PM – Killaloe Municipal Building, 2 John St.

AGENDA-

                        Negotiation Update – By Chief Negotiator Greg Sarazin.

                        2002 Hunting Agreement – Presentation from Greg Sarazin.

                        ANND Regional Committee Election – Four (4) positions will be filled.

                        Community Update – From Regional Director Patrick Glassford.

                        Any New Business.

My name is Patrick Glassford and I currently represent Algonquin Nation Negotiation Directorate (ANND) members connected to the Greater Golden Lake region. This is an interim position while the Directors of ANND, the corporate body, move into the political accord with the Algonquin Nation Tribal Council (ANTC).

Elections for all ANTC Nation Regional Representatives is currently scheduled for June 21, 2002. The election date may -at the discretion of the Board, be moved back 120 days. It may not be possible to run an Election for June 21, 2002 and so the extra 120-day clause is needed.

I got this position in a rather unusual manner…

I was a member of Dale Benoit’s committee and community of the Anishinabe of the Kitchi-sibi South. I was elected into this position in the last ANND election. On or about February 19, 2002, Dale Benoit resigned from ANND and withdrew the committee and community without any consultation of the committee or mandate from the community. As a member of the committee, I was shocked to be informed of this one week after the fact.

Without the opportunity to discuss this on the committee level and to vote on it (I would have stood behind the chair or resigned if things were done in a democratic way), I was not bound to a vote of the committee that never took place. I had the personal choice to stay with ANND or not. No one can, particularly in this situation, decide that for me.

So I did not resign from ANND.

As the last remaining elected ANND committee member, I have assumed the seat Dale Benoit and Linda Peplinski had vacated.

On March 10, 2002, I attended an Elders meeting I was hoping to get council from, however Dale Benoit forced me to defend myself rather than get council. I am very sorry that I got dragged into that at the Elders meeting, I apologize for this to the entire community.

Much discussion was made and at the end of the day, Dale Benoit tabled a motion that the community enter into a legal and binding agreement with Pikwàkanagàn. I argued that first the community should be allowed to decide to stay with ANND or quit -first, as Dale had no mandate to withdraw the entire community.

A vote was taken, and it was a 27 - 27 tie.

Dale Benoit called a second vote and four new voters appeared and the vote was 27 - 31 in favour of leaving ANND.

The ANND board feel the vote should never have taken place as it was not on the agenda, nor was the membership notified in any newsletter. In the least, a second vote should have been called (only) after the membership was notified and the issue clearly stated on the Agenda.

Some think that by losing the second vote, I thereby lost my "Position". ANND BYLAWS are quite clear on this matter. To remove an ANND Director it requires that the membership be notified and that item is on the Agenda of the next community meeting or any duly called "Special Meeting". It requires a vote of 2/3’s majority of ANND members to remove a Director.

I understand a second meeting was held that the general membership was not notified about, on March 24, 2002. At this meeting I was removed from the committee of the Anishinabe of the Kitchi-sibi South. Two new committee members were also voted in. Again, as these people have clearly quit ANND, this vote does not affect my position. It was in poor taste that I was not invited to attend this meeting.

I am no longer associated with The Anishinabe of the Kitchi-sibi South committee nor that community. Anyone connected to the Greater Golden Lake region can decide to quit ANND or remain for themselves, just as I have.

I do not represent anyone that has filled out a representation form that indicates that they are a member of that community, since their departure from ANND.

I only represent those members that choose not to quit ANND.

There is a very disturbing assertion made by someone that clearly knows better, that personal files are currently in the possession of ANND. These files are supposed to be under lock and key and are under dispute. These files are currently held in the Makwa Centre at Pikwàkanagàn.

Further, it is the opinion of the ANND Board of Directors, that the enrolment files are the sole property of the individual Algonquins that submitted them in the first place.

·        If you have decided to quit ANND, and want to be removed from the Greater Golden Lake (ANND) members mailing list, please let me know.
(If you received this Newsletter, you are currently on the list as member.)

·        If you wish to reaffirm your Representation by Greater Golden Lake, please fill out the enclosed form.
Currently the membership of the Greater Golden Lake region is in dispute.

·        If you have recently filled out a representation form for the Kitchi-sibi committee, you can use the Representation Form enclosed to reaffirm your Representation by Greater Golden Lake as an ANND member.

·        To send any comment or question you may have.

There are many conflicting stories going around. I hope you do not judge me harshly, I respect your political views, I hope you can do the same for me.

I believe these are important times for all Algonquins to become familiar with the factual details of the current state of "things".

So -

An informative Website has now been established at
www.greatergoldenlake.com

I will be adding relevant documents along with any news articles regularly with the intent to give insight to anyone that is concerned.

Please feel free to direct any questions, concerns or comments to me directly:

By E-mail - web@greatergoldenlake.com  

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