Salt River First Nation election dispute goes to arbitrator

Battle-weary members of the Salt River First Nation in Fort Smith, N.W.T., crowded into a local college classroom Wednesday where an arbitrator is hearing a dispute over the band's recent election.

Edmonton-based lawyer Kate Hurlburt is hearing an appeal by David Poitras on the results of the Aug. 25 election that saw Chief Frieda Martselos re-elected as the band's chief.

Martselos defeated Poitras by a vote count of 175-147, a margin of only 28 votes. Poitras and others are disputing the results, arguing that Martselos violated the band's election code by using smear tactics during her campaign.

Poitras claimed that Martselos sent pamphlets to out-of-town voters that contained misleading information about Poitras and band councillors. He also alleged that many voters outside Fort Smith did not receive their mail-in ballots as required.

Martselos denied Poitras' allegations and maintained that the election was conducted in a fair manner.

Hurlburt is expected to make a ruling on the matter by mid-December.

The Salt River First Nation has been embroiled in a leadership battle since 2007, when the band council fired Martselos a week after she was first elected chief.

Martselos went to the Federal Court twice to defend her leadership. In January, the court quashed the council's resolution to fire her, ruling that she had not been given a chance to create a competent and stable administration. The council has since filed an appeal of that decision.