Millbrook First Nation

Custom Election Code

Custom election Code

 
 

MFN Custom Election Code

Dear band members,

The committee is comprised of band members from a variety of backgrounds, diverse ages and experiences. All who applied were accepted. The draft Code is the culmination of their work and months of discussions.

The goal of developing our own election code was to develop a leadership selection process that addressed the challenges posed by the Indian Act process - by exercising our right to self-governance. It should be noted that the purpose of developing a new code is to improve upon the process by which leaders are chosen, NOT to redefine the governance roles of our Chief and Council. Some of the changes that the committee’s Code proposes include: 

  • Extending the terms of office to 3-years

  • Establishing multiple polling stations in our other reserves – Cole Harbour and Sheet Harbour.

  • Offering online voting capabilities

Over the next few weeks we will be sharing the draft with the community for review and input. Additionally, we will be putting pieces of the Code in the community bulletin and newsletter. Ultimately, the community will vote on whether or not to accept the code (tentatively booked for the end of this summer), which is why we are starting the engagement process early – so folks can make informed decisions at the polls.

Check the https://www.millbrookband.com/custom-election-code and the newsletter/bulletin releases for content.

If you would like to register for any of the sessions listed below, or would like to find out more about the code, contact Community Engagement Officer - Spencer Morris
smorris@millbrookfn.ca
Cell: (782)-370-2198

Dates for sessions

Like many other First Nations, Millbrook has, since the 1950’s, conducted elections based on the provisions in the Indian Act, which is now a piece of legislation that is almost 150 years old.  Over time, many communities have found the Indian Act election system has many gaps that creates practical challenges for communities. After the federal government introduced the First Nation Election Act, Millbrook held consultations about an appropriate way forward in the conduct of elections and the community poll held with the last membership transfer vote indicated that community members wished to hold future elections under a custom election code, rather than the old, colonial Indian Act.  The work on the Code began in 2021 and the Millbrook Election Committee, made up of Millbrook voters was formed to make sure there were a variety of  points of view in the discussions  and in the Code. The Code here is a working draft, intended for community feedback. 

Like any law, the Code will be interpreted, discussed, and sometimes it may be argued over and disputed. Over the past month,  several consultation sessions have provided feedback on the draft.  More sessions are scheduled so that community members are able to share their thoughts on the Code. This feedback will be studied and will inform the final draft that must be voted on by Millbrook voters later this year.

If you have feedback or questions, you may contact Community Engagement Officer - Spencer Morris smorris@millbrookfn.ca or Cell: (782)-370-2198