By paNOW

4th term for PAGC Grand Chief Ron Michel

Oct 28, 2014 | 11:28 AM

Ron Michel has been voted as grand chief of the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) once again.

It was 100 per cent turnout of tribal chiefs, council and delegates who cast their ballots Tuesday at the Senator Allen Bird Memorial Centre.  With a vote of 134 to 96 Michel was re-elected to his fourth term, beating out Elmer Ballantyne.

“I feel great, just tremendous support with people coming in,” Michel said.

His focus of the next three years is to “support communities” and to meet with non-government organizations in the city to discuss first nation issues and concentrate on economic development and community prosperity.

“First nation issues is our youth,” Michel said when asked about specific of the issues facing first nation people in the PAGC.  “You know, the suicides in our communities, alcohol and drugs, gangs and of course the housing infrastructure and all of that, but mostly the education that we’re battling right now with the government [that] is trying to take over our education.”

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Ballantyne’s concession speech detailed how content he was to have a chance to express the concerns from first nation communities such as youth suicides, drugs and alcohol.

“Myself, I lost a son in June due to alcohol and all it takes is one missed step and you don’t see your son again,” he said, saying depression touches everyone in their communities in one way or another.

Before finishing his speech to a packed room, Ballantyne said the PAGC needs to be mindful of its deficit and bring it down.

“Otherwise, like I said, we’re going to be in a big predicament in regards to the Grand Council and the government is watching.  The government is going to scrutinize what happens within our own first nations.  We see that through the transparency and accountability and act that’s being enforced by the federal government,” Ballantyne said.

He was referring to the First Nations Financial Transparency Act, which requires each first nation to submit financial statements such information about salaries, expenses and benefits for chiefs and band council members.

Michel said he’s not worried about the added pressure from the federal government.

“We’ve always had that transparency.  We’ve always had it.  This is transparency right now; we’ve dealt with all our finances and everything.  What more do they want?” he said, referencing the items dealt during the PAGC annual general meeting that kicked off on Monday.

What was clear at the election was both Ballantyne and Michel’s push for unity of the first nations to thrive into the next     100 years and overcome past hardships.

The PAGC is made up of Wahpeton Dakota Nation, Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, James Smith Cree Nation, Montreal Lake Cree Nation, Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, Cumberland House Cree Nation, Shoal Lake Cree Nation, Red Earth Cree Nation, Hatchet Lake Dene Nation, Black Lake Dene Nation and Fond du Lac Dene Nation.

sstone@panow.com

On Twitter: @sarahstone84