DUI charge threatens chief’s position

Saskatchewan’s 74 band chiefs may eventually decide the fate of their head chief’s leadership position after his drunk driving charges became public last month.

A January court appearance saw Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) Chief Guy Lonechild plead guilty to a Sept. 2, 2009 incident of driving under the influence (DUI), around a month before he was elected head chief of the organization.

At the time, he was charged with failing to immediately pull over for police at a check-stop. When police caught up to him he was also charged for refusing a breathalyzer.

“I was returning home after a game of golf and drinks with friends and the Saskatoon Police Service pulled me over. At the time I was arrested and charged,” Chief Lonechild said in a Feb. 1 statement to media.

He said the situation is a completely private circumstance and is in no way associated with his work for the FSIN, advancing the rights and interests of the First Nations across the province.

But chiefs-in-assembly in Saskatoon from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17 were not convinced the charges were unrelated to Lonechild’s work. They started off the first day of their meetings voicing their concerns for the chief’s failure to disclose the charges prior to the election.

“It boils down to integrity and the trust of the people that you serve,” said Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Felix Thomas. “If you don’t have that how can you effectively advocate and lobby for all the First Nations?”
Speaking strongly in support of Chief Lonechild was English River Dene Nation Chief Ralph Paul, who questioned why the chiefs concerns could not wait until after Chief Lonechild’s March 23 sentencing on the charges.

“The assembly should wait until Lonchild’s impaired driving conviction is dealt with by the court,” Chief Paul said to chiefs-in-assembly, adding he wanted to focus on more important issues dealing with the communities rather than on ousting the chief.

The issue of whether or not Chief Lonechild should be allowed to remain in his leadership role continued well into the last day of the assembly. Doors were closed to media as chiefs debated the issue, with some chiefs attempting to enact measures that would see Chief Lonechild immediately removed from his position of power.

Chief Thomas and the Saskatoon Tribal Council’s chiefs were among a group of 30 who signed a petition demanding that Chief Lonechild resign, with a threat that the group of chiefs would follow through with a vote of non-confidence if he refused. But Lonechild remained steadfast, refusing to step down.

Sakimay First Nation Chief Lynn Acoose put forward a resolution to immediately suspend the powers of all four FSIN chiefs, and show non-confidence in Chief Lonechild’s position. The move would have transferred the power and authority of the FSIN chiefs to the province’s tribal council chiefs and avoided the long process of holding a separate assembly for a non-confidence vote. However, the resolution was defeated.

Chief Lonechild remained in his position, and Chief Acoose voiced her concern that too many chiefs were absent from their seats at the assembly’s proceedings.
Now it’s expected that the lengthy formal process of a non-confidence vote will ensue. The FSIN executive council and the Indian Government Commission will decide if another assembly-of-chiefs should occur for a non-confidence vote.

Prior to Chief Lonechild’s success in the FSIN election, he said he fully disclosed the charges to the FSIN Credentials Committee and they determined his candidacy was still legally valid.

One week after the charges became public, FSIN Senators Roland Crowe and Sol Sanderson voiced their indignation at Chief Lonechild’s secrecy, and they called for his resignation.

“He’s got some responsibility. He can’t be in total denial that he is responsible,” Senator Sanderson told a Star Phoenix reporter, adding that Chief Lonechild wouldn’t have been approved to remain a nominated chief candidate if Sanderson had been on the committee.
A few days later, Chief Lonechild sent a letter to the Saskatchewan’s Chief and Councils regarding the comments made to media by the FSIN senators.

“The recent actions of these two Senators undermine the integrity and confidence of the Senate, the Executive offices and the authority of the Chiefs-in-Assembly,” Chief Lonechild stated in the letter.

He went on to say the senators breached the political, neutrality, and confidential policies of the FSIN and may face disciplinary measures. Furthermore, their actions prove an urgent need for a thorough review of FSIN’s governance structures.

A senator also questioned whether a decision to move Chief Lonechild’s hearing to a Rosthern court from Saskatoon was meant to keep the case private, but Chief Lonechild responded to media that the request was made at the advice of his lawyer.

Once sentencing occurs, Chief Lonechild faces a minimum fine of $1,000, a victim surcharge, or suspension of his drivers license for at least a year.