New suit filed in Blackfoot feud

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CALGARY - A bitter feud which has been raging for two years on the Blackfoot Reserve, east of Calgary, has become even more complicated this week as a second lawsuit was served against the Blackfoot chief and council and the Calgary Department of Indian Affairs.

The original dispute started soon after the band received $1.67 million from the federal government over cattle the band was promised in the 1877 Treaty 7 agreement. The band at that time expressed interest in horses but refused the cattle. This discrepancy was unearthed by researchers in 1980 and an agreement was signed in April 1984 between Chief Leo Youngman and then Minister of Indian Affairs, John Munro.

However, a few months later, former chief Roy Little Chief slapped a lawsuit against the chief and council over its handling of the monies.

During a press conference at the time, Little Chief pointed out that the cattle claim monies were treaty monies and according to the Indian Act should be distributed evenly between the people.

However, Chief Youngman and his council were using the money to provide capital projects on the reserve.

Youngman said at the time the band needed capital projects to provide facilities for the people and to provide jobs. He also pointed out that if the people disagreed with this stand they would have an opportunity to voice their opinion at the upcoming election in November 1985.

Little Chief and Youngman stood for chief during the election. Youngman won a seventh term of office by almost 100 votes more than his closest rival, Little Chief.

However, Little Chief is now disputing that election saying in his statement of claim that, "bribes were given in the polling station right under the noses of Department officials."

In a press conference in Calgary June 26, Little Chief said he has decided not to challenge the election through the Department of Indian Affairs as is the usual practice, but through the federal court because he says the department is also at fault and takes

too long to reach a decision.

In his statement of claim, Little Chief accuses the Department of Indian Affairs

of breach of trust and the Blackfoot chief and council of bribery and corruption.

At the time of going to presss, neither Chief Youngman or a spokesman from the Department of Indian Affairs were available for comment.

According to Little Chief's lawyer, Webster MacDonald Sr., the lawsuit should come to court sometime in the fall.