Esgenoôpetitj Election Date Set

Summary#

This Order Amending the Schedule to the First Nations Elections Act (Esgenoôpetitj) adds the Esgenoôpetitj First Nation to the list of First Nations covered by the First Nations Elections Act and fixes the date for its first election under that Act as November 12, 2020. The order was registered as SOR/2020-196 on September 11, 2020 and was signed by Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services, on September 10, 2020.

What it does#

• Adds the Esgenoôpetitj First Nation to the schedule of the First Nations Elections Act as entry number 73.
• Sets the date of the First Nation’s first federal-style council election as November 12, 2020.
• States the Order comes into force on the day it is registered (registered as SOR/2020-196 on September 11, 2020).

Who's affected#

• Members and residents of the Esgenoôpetitj First Nation — they will vote for their council on November 12, 2020 under the rules set out in the First Nations Elections Act.
• People who plan to run for council or help run the election in that community.
• The federal Minister of Indigenous Services and related officials who process and administer these changes.

Why it matters#

• It fixes a clear date for local leadership elections, so community members know when to vote and candidates know when to prepare.
• Adding the First Nation to the schedule means that election rules in the First Nations Elections Act will apply for that election, rather than whatever other rules might otherwise have been used.
• This is a routine step that follows a request from the band council to have federal election rules applied.