Long Plain First Nation is gearing up to hold a byelection for chief and council on December 7 without their current chief on the ballot.
Kyra Wilson collected the most votes in the community's last election on April 14, 2022. However, that result has continually been challenged by David Meeches, who lost by a small margin of just 12 votes. Meeches claims that the last election was unfair as it took place during a snowstorm, which reportedly made it extremely hard for everyone to cast their vote.
Meeches' call for a new election was initially dismissed on April 21, 2022, by Long Plain's election appeals committee. Meeches then asked the Federal Court to examine the appeal committee's decision. On September 25, 2023, the court ordered Long Plain to appoint band members to a new appeals committee. That committee then turned around and recommended a new election for this Thursday, December 7, 2023.
Long Plain electoral officer Jacqueline Meeches says that the candidates for chief are Marcia Assiniboine, Christopher Yellowquill and David Meeches.
Reports say Wilson claims the band is holding the election in an unfair manner and that she has asked the Federal Court of Appeal to set aside the election.
Wilson, was the first female chief since the 1970s on Long Plain and would have reportedly had to resign from her position as chief to appear on the ballot. Still, she declined, resulting in her name not making it to the ballot for December 7.
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