What!? Everyone Does It!

Life can be so unfair.  Try to do a good thing for people, hand over something of value to them that they'll appreciate and they return the compliment in a way that reflects their gratitude.  Unfortunately it is illegal in Canada to buy votes.  It can, of course, be construed otherwise; not purchasing a vote exactly, just being a good fellow.

Meeting discreetly with people and manoeuvring $20 bills into their possession; $40 for this one, $50 for that one, and promises as well, to pay their utility bills.  Of course those who benefit in this manner are free to vote for the individual of their choice.  And they did just that in the Moosomin First Nation in Saskatchewan, electing Moosomin Chief Elliot Kahpeaysewat.

Something wrong with that?  Well, as it happens, the federal government looks askance at that kind of thing.  As yet another impoverished First Nations Community, the band's election did not go quite as scheduled.  It did for them, mind, just not to the satisfaction of Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan.

Who took it upon himself to act, viewing the buying of votes as a violation of trust and of the Indian Act where vote-buying is considered to represent a "corrupt" practise.  A dozen band members swore out affidavits or verbally informed investigators that Moosomin Chief Elliot Kahpeaysewat generously handed over money to them in exchange for their support.

Another candidate for band chief informed the Manitoba investigators that band members were disinterested in discussing issues.  The only issue that seemed to concern them was whether he would offer to up the ante, giving them more money than Mr. Kahpeaysewat had, to buy their loyalty.  He passed on the challenge.

But not before detailing an incident where one voter informed him:  "in order for their family to consider us, we would have to give them money".  And about that promise to some band members that the chief would pay their utility bills.  Shucks, after the election was over, there was no need to follow through, obviously.

"Elliot ... said he was going to the big seat and needed my help", one band member testified helpfully.  "Elliot came up to me and gave me $40 to vote for him", another interview transcript read.  Of the 1,575 band members, 532 voted in the election, giving Mr. Kahpeaysewat a win by 73 votes.  He is no longer chief, however, having been removed.

And that removal is viewed as gross and unjust interference by the federal government in the affairs of the band.  Some band members have the impression that their former chief had been betrayed, "set up" by his opponents.  Others claimed him to have been "singled out" for doing something that most of the candidates themselves did.

"Why is the government doing this?  I'm really fed up", his cousin, Donna Kahpeaysewat fumed.  Why indeed....