Chief and Council were locked out at Carry the Kettle First Nation earlier this week.
A group of Elders from the First Nation are angered by an alleged lack of discipline in spending. Elders even went as far as to hold a vote of non-confidence, with the decision to remove the council and Chief being unanimous.
Connie Gray says there hasn’t been a qualified audit in over three years.
“They’ve never done anything for the people of Carry the Kettle, and we went in there because we wanted answers,” Gray said. “We went in, and we said ‘we want to know where our money has gone. What have you guys been spending it on?’”
Gray says they just want to know what’s going on.
“Our reserve is in debt. We used to be one of the richest reserves in the province until this Chief and Council took over, and we are now broke,” Gray said. “I would say we are in the red anywhere from $60-100 million.”
Gray says a sit-in was held at the Band Hall, but it was short lived.
“A Councilor spoke to his lawyer, and his lawyer advised him to go and get a court injunction to have us removed, that is what he did,” Gray said.
Carry the Kettle Chief Brady O’Watch was unavailable for comment after multiple requests for interview were made.
