Rolling River First Nation holds election on April 22
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/04/2024 (567 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
An election set for April 22 in Rolling River First Nation could result in a new chief and three new members of council for the community situated 76 kilometres north of Brandon.
Both on- and off-reserve members can go to the polls that day to choose between two candidates for chief and nine for councillor.
Current chief Wilfred McKay Jr. is seeking re-election. He is being challenged by Brent Wilson.
Samantha Wilson is running for a seat on Rolling River First Nation band council after serving two consecutive terms from 2018 to 2022. (Submitted)
Candidates for council include incumbents Derek McKay, Claude Shannacappo and Melissa Shannacappo (Gaywish) and contenders Evan Gaywish, Elvin Huntinghawk, Mel Huntinghawk, Aaron McKay, Joshua McKay and Samantha Wilson.
The Sun made multiple attempts to contact the candidates. Aaron McKay, who is running for council for the first time, and Samantha Wilson, who is seeking to return to council after a two-year hiatus, shared their reasons for running and priorities for their community with the Sun.
If elected, McKay, who works at Assiniboine Community College in Brandon and owns and runs Giiwe Media, says he’ll find ways to give the people in Rolling River the skills that they need to actively participate in the economy.
“I want to encourage people to see themselves as their own bosses and business owners, to see themselves as being part of this bigger picture,” he said.
He also wants to work toward establishing a stronger relationship between Rolling River First Nation and Parks Canada. The First Nation is among other nations from Treaty 2, 4 and 1 that are part of the Coalition of First Nations with Interest in Riding Mountain National Park.
To achieve the goals he has for his community, McKay has been studying different Indigenous communities in Canada and the United States that have installed policies and programs that are helping give people a better future.
“There are some just across the border that I’ve been really inspired by, where they established trust funds for members. As soon as a new community member is born, a fund is established, and once that community member reaches a certain age, they can take that trust out and they’ve already got a really nice nest egg to secure themselves,” he said.
Samantha Wilson is seeking a position on council again after serving two consecutive terms from 2018 to 2022. At the end of her second term, Rolling River First Nation was preparing to file a specific claim with regards to its ancestral lands in Riding Mountain National Park, an issue that Wilson would push for if elected.
“I had asked the park superintendent for a public acknowledgment by way of signage to be erected at the park gates and other sites we occupied, since Parks Canada mentioned Truth and Reconciliation. I thought this to be fitting,” Wilson said in an emailed statement. “It still hasn’t happened, and this is definitely an endeavour that will receive my attention and focus.”
Conversations on the issue and work around it moving forward should take place directly between leadership of Rolling River First Nation and Parks Canada and not any in-between liaisons, Wilson added.
Aaron McKay, pictured here in his powwow regalia, is running for a spot on Rolling River First Nation’s band council. The election takes place on April 22. (File)
Wilson will also be pursuing the First Nation’s acquisition of accreditation of Southquill Health Services, which operates in the community.
“Accreditation opens the doors for opportunities such as renal care facilities, birthing centres, care homes and harm-reduction facilities and centres for families,” she said.
Another one of Wilson’s priorities for her community is the mental health and wellness of its people as a whole. Encouraging healthy lifestyles by way of embracing traditional Indigenous culture, language and practices will help people get to a healthy place of identity and power, she said.
“We need to offer continued support in all mental health aspects and assist our service providers in achieving this goal.”
Polls will be open for the election on April 22 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Southquill Hall.
» mleybourne@brandonsun.com
» X: @miraleybourne