Dear St. Mary’s First Nation Community Members: I have had the honour to serve as your Chief for the last 10 years. For all of those 10 years, I have been active in listening to members concerns at election time, as well as during my term in office and doing my best to ensure all those concerns are addressed. Election time is an opportunity for sharing, growth and renewal. Often, issues and concerns are brought to the forefront for discussion and debate. One common issue that seems to arise every election is regarding the use of mail outs (campaign material) to off reserve members. Currently, in order for members’ addresses to be shared with the candidates by the electoral officer, members have to consent to permit their contact information to be released to candidates for Chief or Councilor. There has been a lot of discussion this year and during past elections about the use of mail outs by individual nominees or groups of nominees. I can’t speak for other current or past nominees who have done mail outs to off reserve members but I can tell you how I got my addresses and how I use them. During the last 10 years, I have worked very hard to compile an address list for band members. This has been done by one simple method, asking for those addresses. I can tell you that I have never received the royalty mail out list, the newsletter mail out list, nor any other address list in the possession of the band administration. Certainly, other past and current councilors have contributed to this list. They have done the same thing I have done, ask people. For this current election, I started contacting band members several months ago through social media, email and phone asking for their updated contact information. Furthermore, in this digital age, most times, one need only go to the internet to find address and phone number for whoever they are looking for. I would challenge all those seeking these addresses to do what others and I have done, contact members directly and ask them. The question is, will I share the information I have collected with other candidates? Quite simply, no, not because I don’t want to but because I cant. This is information that I have personally sought out and compiled was given confidentially with the understanding that I would be sending them a package, not that I would share this information with 50 other people to send their information as well. That being said, I have never denied anyone the opportunity to include their material with the mail out package that I send each election. Any person who has asked me to include their material, I have obliged. This year, it was decided to send a package of campaign material (for any candidate who wished to have their information included) to those people who have provided their address to receive a newsletter. This was the first time this has been done. It has always been the responsibility of candidates to choose how and in what medium they convey their message. Could we do better? Yes! Is there room for better communication and strategy? Of course! Again, my door is always open and my contact numbers are public should anyone wish to discuss this and other issues. I thank you for your time and consideration.
Posted on: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 18:36:03 +0000
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