By Trevor Greyeyes
In the one day trial on July 11, 2024 at 363 Broadway Ave in Winnipeg, the morning had Glenn Hudson’s legal representative offer up why the last Peguis First Nation election (April 6, 2021) should be thrown out.
If you follow Jason Harvey, Hudson’s lawyer, the key issue to overturning the election was the interference with the electoral officer executing his duties, citing the First Nations Election Act.
Harvey in the leadup to that statement, cited the band meeting March 20, 2023 where Hudson tried to introduce the qualified annual audit report which contained a line that said the debt was written down to $25 million. That meeting was adjourned after council members present at the meeting voted to adjourn, preventing Hudson from presenting the audit. He claimed that if people knew that there would have been more votes cast for Hudson.
Hudson is also trying to keep Chief Bird from running for five years claiming that he was the architect and leader of 269 Idle No More group that interfered with the electoral officer.
Also, he pointed out that177 election ballots were burned that could have significantly altered the eventual election winners.
However, Hudson’s lawyer said that not all materials related to the election were available because One Feather was not named in the suit and One Feather refused to hand over all materials they had about the election citing the cost.
John Gailus, Bird’s lawyer, said Hudson lost the election by 440 votes and that the even had all the burned election ballots been for Hudson that it wouldn’t have altered the victory for Bird.
Justice MacDonald questioned Gailius’ claim that Hudson voters weren’t intimidated with all the actions going on around the ballots and voting.
Outside, during the lunchbreak, a group of Hudson supporters stepped out to the front of the building.
Although none would share their names, they said it was important for Hudson to bring forth these issues in order to truly show the youth of Peguis First Nation how to conduct a proper election. And to support democracy.
When I pointed out that one of the councillor candidates should have brought the case to court, they replied that those people lacked the finances to bring a case like this to court.
Justice McDonald has promised to render a decision soon.