Piapot First Nation moves to First Nations Elections

Summary#

The federal government made the Order Amending the Indian Bands Council Elections Order (Piapot) to stop applying the election rules in the Indian Act to the Piapot First Nation. That change took effect when the order was registered on May 1, 2020, and the band’s first election under the First Nations Elections Act was set for June 27, 2020.

What it does#

• Removes the Piapot First Nation from the list of bands that must hold elections under the Indian Act (by repealing the relevant item in the Indian Bands Council Elections Order).
• Allows the Piapot First Nation to hold its Chief and council elections under the First Nations Elections Act and its regulations.
• Confirms the band’s request (its council passed a resolution on January 15, 2019) to switch election regimes.
• Fixes the date of the first election under the First Nations Elections Act for the band at June 27, 2020.

Who's affected#

• Members of the Piapot First Nation are the main people affected. This change governs how their Chief and councillors are chosen.
• People involved in running elections for the band (for example, the band’s electoral officer) will follow the First Nations Elections Act rules rather than the Indian Act rules.
• Other governments and agencies (for example, Indigenous Services Canada) will treat the band as operating under the First Nations Elections Act for election-related matters.

Why it matters#

• This gives the Piapot First Nation more control over its elections by moving from the older Indian Act system to the First Nations Elections Act, which the band requested.
• Practical effects for the community include longer terms between elections (four years instead of two years), which can reduce election costs and allow elected leaders more time to plan and carry out longer-term projects.
• The change is limited to the Piapot First Nation and does not change election rules for other bands.