By paNOW

Standing Buffalo senate calls for election to boot chief

Feb 28, 2013 | 12:00 AM

Unhappy with their chief’s spending habits, senators of the Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation have decided to forgo an impeachment in favour of an early election.

The Jan. 18 impeachment of Chief Roger Redman and five of the six councillors came after Stella Isnana, the sixth band councilor, made a formal complaint to the senate council about questionable spending.

An audit of the band’s expenses by accounting firm Meyers Norris Penny showed that Redman and the councillors allocated more than $1 million for honorariums, travel, meetings and advances.

Elections will be held March 16 rather than their scheduled date in November.

Senator Marita Crant said the senate decided to hold elections after Redman and the councilors refused to recognize the senate’s authority to impeach them.

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“We called an election due the fact that it seems like [Redman] and we call them his boys don’t want to leave their position at the band office,” Crant said. “The next best thing to do was the senate got together and we decided to call an election.”

The senate held their nominations on Saturday but were unable to access the band-owned buildings because the doors were chained and padlocked shut.

“That’s how afraid [Redman] probably is of us getting into a building,” Crant said.

Not to be deterred, the band held their nominations outside by the community centre.

“We set up a table, I came home and got some lawn chairs and so we proceeded to have the nomination,” Crant said.

Crant said Redman has created another senate with members of his choosing. She said the second senate includes a member from Regina, an addictions councillor, a personal confidant, and Redman’s brother.

She also said the band had recently voted in new accountability framework to protect officials and members of the community and ensure funds are spent properly, including a ban on advances.

Redman had previously stated that the impeachment is politically motivated, as Isnana ran against him and lost in the last election. He said he does not recognize the authority of the senate to change the election date.

-With files from Ashley Wills

news@panow.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow