Squamish Nation voting on proposed changes
While B.C. voters were being asked to say yes or no in a referendum on proportional representation, members of the Squamish Nation were wrapping up an electoral referendum of their own.
The 3,000 eligible voters were asked five questions on the ballot in the first attempt to revise election rules since 1981, including if candidates should be screened for criminal behaviour or any “conduct unbecoming a Squamish elected official.”
“It was a need for us to ensure that we were getting candidates that understood they are representing the Squamish Nation,” said Brittany John, a member of the nation’s electoral commission. “It’s common sense and it shouldn’t be an issue (that councillors have past experiences that reflect negatively on their positions), but it has happened.”
The summary in the referendum lists “unbecoming conduct” as any that “discredits or harms the Squamish Nation or its reputation, such as dishonesty, taking advantage of vulnerable people, criminal acts or misuse of Squamish Nation property.”
Candidates can’t owe the nation any money or be involved in a legal battle with it.
The referendum summary also states every Squamish Nation member over age 18 is eligible to run for office except those in bankruptcy proceedings, those “mentally or physically incapable,” those convicted of theft, fraud or bribery or sexual assault, or those convicted of impaired driving offences “in the previous 10 years.”
John, as part of the commission, devised the five questions after hearing from the Squamish members in a series of roundtables to discuss reform two years ago.
The question of suitability of candidates was the main concern of members and everyone agreed it should be put to a referendum, she said.
The other four questions were about issues members couldn’t reach consensus on, including the size of council (voters had to choose between leaving the number of councillors at 16 or halving the council to eight), whether to continue to elect the councillors at large or set up a partial ward system and the possibility of a “removal recall,” allowing for councillors to be removed from office after four unexplained absences a year from weekly council meetings.
Vetting candidates in a provincial or federal election is normally done at the party level, looking at issues such as employment history, family and political background, convictions or charges and bankruptcies or legal issues.
Elections B.C. states that to run as a candidate nominees must be Canadian, at least 18, a resident of B.C. for the past six months and not be disqualified from voting or holding office.
John said if any or all of the Squamish questions get 50-percent-plus-one of votes cast, the results will be referred to the current council to determine the next steps before the First Nation’s general election in 2021.
Voting wrapped up on Dec. 6, but the results won’t be officially released until after a future Squamish Nation Council meeting.