First council meeting to be held Thursday
M’CHIGEENG—It has been a long and challenging path, but the chief and most of the council members elected in the September 2017 election were sworn in during a ceremony held at the M’Chigeeng community complex this past Saturday.
Ogimaa (Chief) Linda Debassige took her oath in a ceremony presided over by community elder Alma Jean Migwans and officiated by community member Debbie Debassige.
Ogimaa Debassige said that she hoped the remaining elected councillors, Forry Hare, Thomas Hare and Henry Panamick would take their oaths in time for the first meeting of council, a special meeting to deal with housekeeping issues scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday). The first regular meeting of council will take place next Tuesday.
Councillor Jesse Beaudin was sworn in at a separate ceremony.
Ogimaa Debassige said that she was meeting with managers in preparation of briefing council on the state of the band and that council would be prioritizing the list of issues that need to be dealt according to urgency.
As to the membership issues that underlay the challenge to the September election, Ogimaa Debassige said that the protocol previously determined by council would prevail and that outstanding issues should be resolved before the next election.
“I learned going through this process,” said Ogimaa Debassige. “I will definitely be recommending to council that we retain legal counsel as we go forward on this.”
