News

:

, ,

Six Nations community member conducts independent review on current election code

Front exterior of an city adminstration building. the majority of the building is black and the sides are red brick. Green bushes line the front of the building.
Six Nations will be receiving 100 acres of land this week as part of an agreement for not impeding in the construction process of 2200 homes in the town of Caledonia. Photo courtesy of CJKS.
Deya Miller - CKRZ - Ohsweken • ON | 24-10-2023
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on pinterest
Share on email
Share on print

On October 10 at the Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council's (SNEC) general council meeting, a concern was raised by community member Chad General. General's concerns were in regards to the Chief Executive Polling Officer (CEPO) and the nomination process for this year's 2023 SNEC nominations and General had carried out an independent review of his findings.

Before the presentation began Chief Mark Hill made a statement saying "we have to be very careful on the line we walk when it comes to CEPO as the majority here are a candidates and are in direct conflict of interest". Chief Hill is not running in this year's 2023 SNEC election.

General explained he had some interactions on social media on the Six Nations community bulletin board about the 2023 SNEC nomination and the lack of notification. General took it upon himself to carry out an independent review where he reached out to past CEPO Lori Harris who informed him the protocol if he were to carry forward an independent review. General then reached out to all the local businesses that were listed in an email that was provided to General by former CEPO Lori Harris. The businesses listed in the email were supposed to have been posted information about the nominations. Upon speaking with the owners and managers they had informed him that no nomination information had been posted. Six out of the ten businesses listed in the email did not have notifications posted.

In his findings, General said that he believes that the  current CEPO did not do their duty by informing the community about the nominations for this years 2023 SNEC election.

Since then, General has spoken with CKRZ news stating that his concern was that " the election code doesn't have any recourse for the community members with the nomination process -- we have to let it roll out and complete the process and then after that, we can appeal anything with the election". General says that the election code is not very good, it's very flawed, it's very vague, but mostly because their is no recourse and the CEPO carries too much weight.

General says Chief Mark Hill said it best --  its about good governance, following through and being accountable to the membership. General also said he would like to start a petition in the community about reviving that election code for the community by the community.

Download Audio