Bloods elect new chief and council

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The Blood Tribe's new chief and council were only sworn in to office Dec. 3, but it's already pretty much business as usual. After a one-week orientation session, Chief Chris Shade and his 12-member council are administering the affairs of Canada's largest reserve and its more than 6,000 inhabitants.

"The previous chief and council did a lot of research and set the stage for some excellent programs," says Blood communications officer Lambert Fox.

According to Fox, one of the advantages the new administration has is that they'll be working on a four-year term.

"With the old two-year term, there was a limit to the consistency and commitment council could give to programs," he said. "Now we can have better planning and better follow-Up on new projects and policies."

With seven members of the new council having served previous terms, Fox also feels there will be a lot of carry-over of old programs, but he says the new people will add new ideas and philosophies.

"It's a good mix of new and old members, and a good mix of ages and experience," he added.

Shade, the former administrator for the Blood Trice Department of Health, came to the position with over 25 years of experience in finance and management, including 10 years as a small business consultant.

A member of the Canadian College of Health Service Executives and the Society of Industrial Accountants, Shade has done both college and university work in business administration. He is actively involved with the Pastoral Biblical Theological College, serves as a member of the Blood Education Parent Advisory Committee and has coached minor hockey on the reserve for either years.

A soft-spoken and devoted family man, Shade ran on a platform that promoted responsible and accountable leadership, using Elders to promote community healing, and enforcing morality and ethics in the administration and the community.

Serving with Shade are newly elected council members Alex "Mickey" Good Striker, Jim Russel, Lewis Little Bear, Rodney First Rider and Martin Heavy Head. Re-elected to council are Randy Bottle, Narcisse Blood, Kirby Many Fingers, Dorothy First Rider, Levi Black Water, Les Healy and Tom Little Bear.

Roy Fox, who served as the tribe's head chief for 14 years, did not seek re-election.

Among the on-going programs the new chief and council will be looking after are the reserve's crucial housing shortage and skewer projects.

Upgrading of the reserve's water and sewage systems has already received a $6.7-million grant from DIAND in the e1996 federal budget. A new $1.5-million water treatment plant has been completed, but Fox said its opening is awaiting a decision on how to establish a water supply for Red Crow College's newly established student residence, at the site of the old St. Paul Residential School.

"The chief and council also have a lot of crucial in-house issues to deal with," Fox said. "Already they plan to establish new policies on expenses and trips for the administration.

"Open meetings on specific issues have already been suggested by Chief Shade, and they hope to establish policies to involve the people in more of the council's business."