Kehewin Passes New Election Act

Kehewin nation has passed a new election act that will “update and revise” the current document.

Last week in a referendum vote, residents and off-reserve members passed the new election act by a vote of 166-34.

Most were minor changes that included fees for candidates who decided to run, and more concrete guidelines for voters off the reserve.

The new changes mean that any member of Kehewin Cree Nation can run in an election even if they don’t live on the reserve. However, once they’re elected as Chief or as council, they need to provide proof they live within a 100km radius of the reserve.

“The majority of the changes came from the members themselves who partook in it,” said Carlissa Moosepayo, executive assistant to the Chief.

“It was everybody’s input as a whole. We tried to make it available to everybody.”

Moosepayo adds that these changes aren’t set in stone, and it’s always important these things are looked at.

“We always have to keep updating and revising. It always has to be kept up…a lot of people didn’t understand that too.”

This new referendum could be used soon, as an election might be called this fall.

Since the last election, Kehewin has had a fair share of controversy about who should be Chief.