Latest news with #LocalAuthoritiesElectionsAct
Cision Canada
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Cision Canada
UCP MAKES IT EASIER FOR ALBERTANS TO BRING FORWARD SEPARATION REFERENDUM BUT DENIES FIRST NATIONS RIGHT TO VOTE IN MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS
FORT CHIPEWYAN, AB, May 7, 2025 /CNW/ - Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) who reside in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and requested to be able to vote in municipal elections were rejected by the UCP Minister of Municipal Affairs Rick McIver, the entire UCP caucus including Minister Brian Jean, and MLA Tany Yao, who represent the region in question. "This vote comes at a critical time as First Nations wonder about the UCP government's commitment to respecting Treaty Rights," said ACFN Chief Allan Adam. "This vote gives you a pretty clear indication of how the UCP intendeds to win a referendum vote to separate from Canada; disenfranchise First Nations that stand in its way." The amendment to allow ACFN voting rights in municipal elections was introduced by NDP MLA for Edmonton West Henday, Brooks Arcand Paul. The amendment was to the Local Authorities Elections Act, which was being reviewed by the Committee of the Whole, is meant to correct a long-standing injustice. Currently 5 First Nations including Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation are nested completely nested within the RMWB, receive municipal service, and are deeply integrated both logistically and politically within the municipality. "Allowing ACFN the right to vote would recognize the reality they face; they are residents of the RMWB", said Chief Adam. The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation had met with Minister McIver on March 26, 2024 and the issue of municipal voting was again brought up in the legislature on May 28, 2024. Both times Minister McIver said that he would address this problem before the next municipal election. Now he is turning his back on this promise and is instead choosing to allow this discriminatory practice to continue. "This should sound alarms to everyone paying attention to the referendum discussion currently happening in Alberta," said Chief Adam. "The UCP government is trying to pick and choose who gets to vote in this province's future. We call on all Nations, and all Albertans to reject this ploy."
CBC
05-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
2 Yellowknife city councillors want to be city's next mayor
Two Yellowknife city councillors have stepped forward to become Yellowknife's next mayor, hoping to fill the seat Rebecca Alty left vacant when she was elected to be the N.W.T.'s Member of Parliament. Garrett Cochrane and Stacie Arden-Smith both announced on social media that they want the job, though council hasn't yet said how it will replace Alty. Arden-Smith has been on Yellowknife city council since 2018. She said she is running to increase representation of Indigenous women in leadership roles. "I have a passion for my community, I want to be of service and I think it's important to make sure that all voices are being heard," she said in an interview with CBC. Cochrane has been on city council since 2022 and said he wants to serve as mayor because of his love of the city. "This community is my passion," he told CBC. "As mayor, I will continue to collaborate with my colleagues and work with the administration in addressing the defining issues of our city." City council has not yet decided how Alty's replacement will be chosen. The territory's Local Authorities Elections Act offers city council three potential courses of action: appoint a new mayor from within its ranks, hold a byelection, or leave the seat empty until the next municipal election. CBC has previously asked Yellowknife city councillors if they would be interested in taking on the mayor's role. Councillors Warburton, Cat McGurk, Tom McLennan and Steve Payne said they would not. Councillor Hendriksen declined to say yes or no, and Councillor Ryan Fequet did not respond.
CBC
25-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Yellowknife's mayor is running to be the N.W.T.'s next MP. What happens to her job if she wins?
If Northwest Territories' Liberal candidate wins in the federal election on Monday, she's expected to leave a mayor-sized hole in Yellowknife's city council. Rebecca Alty was first elected mayor in 2018 and was acclaimed in 2022. She took a leave of absence last month to campaign as the territory's Liberal candidate, and deputy mayor Ben Hendriksen has been filling in for her. Alty is running against the Green Party's Angela Davidson, also known as Rainbow Eyes, Kimberly Fairman of the Conservative Party, and Kelvin Kotchilea of the NDP. If Alty is elected as the territory's next MP, the mayor's seat in Yellowknife would become vacant. The territory's Local Authorities Elections Act then offers city council three potential courses of action: appoint a new mayor from within its ranks, hold a byelection, or leave the seat empty until the next municipal election. Hendricksen said the legislation means council wouldn't just be "making up decisions on the fly that suit us as a council." "It's decisions that are within our authority under territorial legislation, and that will be what we all believe together is in the best interest of the city," he said. If council chose to appoint one of its members as mayor, and more than one councillor put their name forward, the decision would be put to a vote by the remaining councillors, said Hendriksen. Since the mayor's role is full-time, the winning councillor would likely have to quit or take a leave from their day job. Council could also leave the mayor's seat empty until the next municipal election, meaning, Hendriksen said, that he would continue on as acting mayor. He doesn't foresee that happening though, in the event that Alty wins N.W.T.'s seat in Parliament, since the next municipal election isn't until Oct. 19, 2026. Coun. Rob Warburton told CBC News over text that if the mayor's seat becomes vacant next week, he would prefer to appoint a new mayor from council. "I think it's too much time before the next election to leave it vacant, but weirdly also too short to put the significant staff time, focus and cost into running a byelection," Warburton said. City officials did not respond before deadline to questions about what might happen to the mayor's job if Alty is elected MP. CBC News asked all the sitting councillors whether they would go for the mayor's job if Alty left it for a seat in the House of Commons. Coun. Garett Cochrane said he's seriously considering it. Couns. Warburton, Cat McGurk, Tom McLennan and Steve Payne said they would not. Couns. Hendriksen and Stacie Arden-Smith declined to say yes or no, and Coun. Ryan Fequet did not respond. CBC News asked Alty and her campaign team whether she would resign as mayor if she was elected MP, or if she would return as mayor if she doesn't win, but did not get a response before deadline.
