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WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2013
NEWS BRIEFS SD 91 announces school closure The School District 91 Board of Education has announced their decision on school reconfigurations in Vanderhoof. Prairiedale Elementary School will close, Sinkut View Elementary will remain open and all Vanderhoof elementary schools will reconfigure as Kindergarten to Grade 6. The Grade seven students will all attend Nechako Valley Secondary School which will then become a Grades 7-12 school. The EBUS Academy will remain in within the WL McLeod School but the board said they will be looking for a new home for the academy later on. Replacement of WL McLeod Elementary will be worked on. The school board reached the decision at a public meeting on June 17 after the public consultation period had ended.
PHONE: 996-8482 www.caledoniacourier.com
VOL. 36 NO. 17 $1.30 inc. GST
Yekooche protest and power struggle Ruth Lloyd Caledonia Courier A few Yekooche band members were protesting alongside Stuart Drive on June 14, in conjunction with simultaneous protests in Prince George and Vancouver. The Prince George protest saw picketers outside of the Yekooche Band offices and the Vancouver protest took place outside the offices of the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Band members say they are frustrated by a lack of recognition of by-election results from April 18, 2013 which would have seen Chief Henry Joseph and Councillor Mathew Ernie Joseph lose their seats. The pair were recalled in what has been an ongoing dispute since an election in September of 2011. The first recall and by-election was held in February of 2012, but a federal judge overturned the results and Chief Henry Joseph was reinstated in September 2012. Upon the judge’s recommendations, the band made changes to their custom election code and held another recall and by-election on April 18 of this year. In this more recent election, Yekooche band members elected Allan Joseph as chief and Miranda Joseph as a new councillor. While Yekooche band employees and protesters were calling for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) to step in and recognize the new chief and councillor, AANDC said there isn’t anything for them to do. “Because Yekooche
L-R: Delphina Joseph, Charlene Joseph and Vanessa Joseph were protesting next to the Farmer’s Market in Spirit Square on Friday, June 14. The three women were protesting continued issues concerning the Yekooche chief and council, where some band members and officials want a newly elected chief recognized as the new leader, while Chief Henry Joseph continues to be recognized by the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Ruth Lloyd/Caledonia Courier
First Nation’s custom code process is outside of the electoral provisions of the Indian Act, the department has no role to play as to how the community’s leadership is selected or how governance disputes are resolved,” said Susan Cuthbert in a short email responding to an interview request. “The information AANDC has received regarding an amendment to the community code, a community recall process and subsequent by-election in the Yekooche First Nation is the subject of dispute within the community,” said Cuthbert. “AANDC has asked that the First Nation work towards a resolution that will provide clarity as to the elected leaders in the community.” Due to the con-
tinued disagreement amongst the elected officials, the band has not been able to achieve a quorum to sign their funding agreement with AANDC, leaving the
band also without transfer payments to fund their operations. The current recorded leaders of the community are: Chief Henry Joseph, and Councillors Angelica
Rose Joseph, Mathew Joseph and Mitchell Joseph, according to AANDC. The impasse is ongoing. The Caledonia Courier has not been
Search underway for Fort St. James woman
Search and rescue and RCMP are searching for 26-year-old Immaculate (Mackie) Basil near Fort St. James. Last seen on Thursday, June 13, she was reported missing on June 17 when family had not heard from her. The young woman may have been heading to a cabin in the Leo Creek area, and the search is currently
underway around the Leo Creek Road. When Basil was last seen, she was wearing grey yoga pants, white shoes and a black hooded sweatshirt with a red maple leaf on the front. Anyone with information on where Immaculate Basil may be should contact Fort St. James RCMP at 250996-8269.
able to contact Chief Henry Joseph since finding out about the dispute. If anyone has information on how Joseph can be contacted, please call 9968482.