Alta. chief fights band suspension

The chief of a First Nation in Hobbema, Alta., is fighting her suspension by other members of the band council.

Carolyn Buffalo, chief of the Montana Cree Nation, was suspended after provincial officials seized 75,000 cartons of cigarettes from the reserve because they were improperly marked for legal sale in the province.

Buffalo argued the cigarettes required only federal, not provincial, labelling because they were to be sold on reserves. She demanded the province return the cigarettes, saying the province "does not have jurisdiction over our lands."

However, band members and some councillors are angry because Buffalo did not tell them about a deal with Rainbow Tobacco, a company owned and operated by the Mohawks of Kahnawake, Que.

Buffalo was in talks to set up a company to distribute the cigarettes, which she said would have provided 100 new jobs on a reserve with 85 per cent unemployment.

"I'm hoping to get our chief out," said member Lance Rabbit.

He said Buffalo should have told the band membership about the deal.

Buffalo said she had planned to tell other councillors over Christmas but had a death in the family.

"[On] Christmas Eve, my husband's uncle passed away. He was buried on New Year's Eve. I had a death in my family."

She admitted the cigarettes shouldn't have been stored on the reserve until the band had been told, but hopes to convince band members and councillors to remove the suspension.

"I have a very large number of my nation members who have come to me and said they are not recognizing the suspension. They don't think it was done properly."

Buffalo believes she has the support of the majority of band members.

The lawyer for the Montana Cree Nation, Chady Moustarah, said the band will likely launch a constitutional challenge if the cigarettes are not returned.

No charges have yet been laid in the investigation.