Magnetawan First Nation, north of Parry Sound, will be delaying its election for council and chief by six months due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The vote, which was to have been held on April 26, is now scheduled for Oct. 23. The territory’s two councillors and its chief voted for the delay at a meeting on Feb 3.
Chief William Diabo says the move is supported by Indigenous Services Canada. He added that the decision to move the election was made after eight residents of the First Nation contracted the coronavirus late last year on the relatively small First Nation, which has an on-territory population of about 110 residents. All of those people have since recovered from the virus.
Elections on First Nations territories in Canada are held every two years. The two current councillors are Rose Cardinal and Samantha Noganosh. Chief Diabo said people considering taking a run for the positions will have until the summer to file their nomination papers.
“The election will be officially called 90 days before the vote. We have to then set a nomination date. We will hire an electoral officer, who will send out material to everybody. Once the nomination date is set, people can send in their nominations for each of the positions,” Chief Diabo said. “You can nominate up to two people for council and one for chief. It takes two signatures to officially nominate a candidate and mail-in nomination forms will be accepted.”
Chief Diabo said he has no way of knowing right now what the COVID situation will be like come October. But he added they will be encouraging mail-in voting regardless. He said he is strongly encouraging the territory’s roughly 150 members who do not live on the territory, to vote by mail.
The chief said he understands that some residents of the First Nation might not fully agree with the election delay decision, but he added that his first priority has to be the health and safety of the people he represents.
“There are some people causing blowback about it. But they are not reading the document we put out. They are taking it out of context and suggesting it’s just a selfish moment to stay in power longer,” the chief said. “I’m accused of micromanaging, but I try not to. I got elected and I have my job. But some don’t want to let me do my job. They want things presented to them first for approval. But that’s not what the Indian Act states. I have to make decisions in the best interest of my community. It wasn’t just me making this decision. The two councillors agreed with it as well.”
Chief Diabo said the decisions that have been made during the pandemic, such as voluntary lockdowns and state of emergency declarations, have also been supported by the two councillors.
Chief Diabo said he knows of at least two other Ontario First Nations that may also postpone their elections if they haven’t already done so. He said he is aware the nearby Wasauksing First Nation Territory just held an election, but he added they haven’t had the COVID issues Magnetawan has had to deal with.
John McFadden is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Indigenous issues for MuskokaRegion.com, ParrySound.com and Simcoe.com. His reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.
