The Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1990-05-16

              Red Lake elections scheduled for May 23
By Mark Boswell
Editor
Red Lake Reservation elections
will be held on May 23. Votes will
be cast either at local district polling
places or through absentee balloting.
Of the nearly 5,000 eligible voters of
the Red Lake Band, nearly 50%
voted in the 1986 election. Offices
up for election on the northern
Minnesota reservation are for the
Red Lake Tribal Chairman,
Secretary, Treasurer, and several
district representatives.
Roger Jourdain will seek an eighth
term as Tribal Chairman; he will be
challenged by Bruce Graves, a
former Red Lake Tribal Judge, and
an incumbent representative, Gerald
"Butch" Brun.
Two candidates were denied
certification for the chair, Donald B.
Lussier, and William J. Lawrence.
Lawrence is the publisher of the
Ojibwe News. Lawrence has asked
the tribal court for a temporary
restraining order, alleging that the
residency provision should similarly
apply to Jourdain as well. Both
Jourdain and Lawrence reside in
Bemidji.
Jourdain's residency requirement
is allegedly considered Red Lake
because of a Minnesota Tax case
that ruled Jourdain's residence in
Bemidji to be domicle to the Red
Lake Reservation.
Jourdain won reelection in the
1986 election by a 21 vote margin
over Archie King. King received
1038 votes to Jourdain's 1059.
According to a 1984 referendum
vote, in cases where there are more
than two candidates the candidate in
the election receiving the most
votes, or a plurality of votes, will be
elected.
In the 1986 election Jourdain
received 47.6% of the vote, King
46.6%, Andrew Sigana and
Roderick Sayers the remaining
percentage.
Running for secretary on the Red
Lake Reservation are incumbent
Royce Graves Sr., current Treasurer
Bobby Whitefeather, and Kenneth
"Red" Graves.
The treasurer's race will be open
to Francis "Chunky" Brun and James
"Gus" Strong.
District races include:
Red Lake
Roman "Ducker" Stately
(incumbent), Fabian Cook, Stuart
Desjarlait, Darrell "Peter" English
Sr.
Little Rock
Allan English Jr. (incumbent),
Joseph E. Dudley, Mitchell J.
Johnson, Adrian Beaulieu
Redby
Adolph "Punce" Barrett
(incumbent), Robert "B.J" Graves,
Darrell Auginash, Henry Donnelll,
Robert G. Head Sr., David C.
Dudley, Preston Graves, Thomas
"Jambi" Westbrook
White Earth RTC critical
of Ojibwe News story
According to a news release
leaders of the White Earth
Reservation Tribal Council (RTC)
today labeled a story appearing in
the Ojibwe News as "Maliciously
misleading, distorted and
incomplete." The RTC officials were
referring to an item in the May 2,
1990 edition of the Ojibwe News
stating that "The Inspector General's
Office will soon send an
investigative report to the U.S.
Attorney's Office in relation to
alleged mishandling of tribal;
monies on the White Earth
Reservation."
"Wadena miffed by Ojibwe News"
was the headline of a story in the
Sunday edition of the Detroit Lakes
Tribune.
According to RTC Chairman
Darrell Wadena, "This is basically a
non-story that was reported in the
respectable press months ago. It is
done in such a manner as to
intentionally create the impression
that something sinister or foreboding
is about to happen. But, we must
remember that Tribal elections are
near and historically rhetoric of this
nature becomes prominent at this
time."
Tribal officials pointed out that
they were fully aware of the
investigation when it was done in
October, 1989. "The RTC turned
over the travel and expense
documents requested by the
Inspector General's Office at the
time, fully confident that the
investigation would indicate that
materials had been properly
executed under existing tribal, state
and federal laws. Nothing was
seized nor were we raided. An
official request was received and we
responded by cooperating with the
request."
"Anybody having doubts about the
Tribal Council's management of the
White Earth Reservation," Wadena
said, "need only contact the
Minneapolis Area Office of the BIA
for copies of our reservation audits.
"As for this story that an
investigative report will soon be
send to the U.S. Attorney's Office,
that is merely standard operating
procedure. If any agency of
government does an investigation,
they generally do a report of their
findings. Some other agency
determines if there is probable cause
that any laws may have been broken.
We remain confident that nothing
improper has taken place and the
report will prove our contention,"
Wadena said.
Rawley
Jerry Rawley recently
announcied that he will be
seeking re-election for a
third term of office as
Secretary/Treasurer for the
White Earth Reservation
Tribal Council
In seeking re-election to a
third term, Jerry is asking
for your continued support
in his endeavors to make your Tribal
Council more responsible to the
needs of all our enrolled members.
There are many issues Jerry has
concentrated on in the eight years he
has served you. Issues that directly
affect each of you and your chldre.
Those issues are: Education,
Economic Development,
Employment, Housing, social
Services, Conservation, Youth Work
Projects, Community Fire
Protection, Programs for the Elderly,
and many more. The commitment
Jerry gave to enrolled members
eight years ago is the same
commitment he gives to you now,
and that is to do everything possible
within his authority for the
betterment of our Indian people.
Jerry strongly believes and
encourages each of you to cast your
ballot in the upcoming election this
year, for your vote will certainly
make the difference in the continued
future of the reservation.
Sharon Eid has announced her
candidacy for the District 1 position
on the White earth reservation Tribal
Council. She is seeking a second
term.
During her four years in office,
Sharon has placed an emphasis on
utilizing the reservation's resources,
particularly wild rice. She has
worked closely with the White Earth
Biology Department and planners on
wild rice marketing proposals, that if
applied would bring significant
revenue to the reservation.
Sharon has also worked with state
officials to increase energy
assistance funds to the reservation
and has a deep concern for bringing
more housing to the reservation.
Sharon has sought out economic
development opportunites to employ
people on the reservation, and has
also tried to improve the quality of
life for people who live here. An
example is the new lagoon and water
system that will be put into place in
the Rice Lake area soon.
Eid encourages all tribal members
on and off the reservation to vote in
the election June 14, and appreciates
your support.
Reprinted with permission from
Anishinabe Dee-Bab-Gee-Mo-Win.
Ponemah
Dan Raincloud Jr.
Clifford C. Hardy.
(incumbent).
See page 12 for Minnesota Chippewa
Tribal elections.
Spring is the ideal time for
gathering herbs, wild roots
other useful plants for eating
craft and ceremony. See
page 9.
Incumbents Rawley, Eid to
run for White Earth RTC
St** ill a/fc>«
Fifty Cents
Founded in 1988
Volume 2 Issue 21
May 16,1990
Copyright, the Ojibwe News, 1990
A Bi-Monthly Publication
Bemidji, Minnesota 56601
NAIAD supporters march through downtown Bemidji, symbolizing their solidarity in fighting racism against Native Americans.
"Rally Against Racism"
held in Bemidji
Deemed a success by organizers, the Native American Indians Against
Racism Rally held last weekend in Bemidji was the second annual event
designed to draw attention to the problems Native Americans face as
a minority in the Bemidji community. Featured speakers at the event were
Roger Jourdain, Chairman of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians
and Stew Cooper, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human
Rights in St. Paul. About 100people attended the event that included
a rally at Library Park and a march through downtown Bemidji that ended
at the Beltrami County Jail. A short meeting with Police ended positively
as the demonstrators voiced diet concerns about the role of la w enforcement in maintaining good relations between the white community in
Bemidji and Native Americans residing there.
Joe Sayers, founder of NAIAD.
(photos by Jim Johnson)
McArthur seeks Sec. Treas. post in White Earth
Eugene "Bugger McArthur, of
Ogema, announced his candidacy
for Secretary Treasurer of the White
Earth Reservation on April 30.
McArthur sees the upcoming June
12 election as a time when "we
accept the responsibility for
providing for a future for our young
people."
A life-long resident of the White
Earth Reservation, McArthur is the
owner manager of McArthur Foods
in Ogema and runs a landscaping
company along with his father,
Eueene Sr.
"I'd like to see some definite
changes in the tribal leadership
here," said McArthur. "We are all
aware of and know that change must
occur if we are to move forward as a
people."
McArthur's platform includes a
variety of changes that would be
called for were he elected.
"We've got to demand simple
things like public meetings, reform
our election process, and more
importantly give representation to all
band members wherever they
reside."
His past experiences with tribal
government, a solid educational
background, business experience,
KKBJ cuts Lawrence' interview
By Mark Boswell
Editor
"It was not an instance of
censorship," said Mike Samuelson
of KKBJ radio, who decided to cut
"Ainley on Everything" early
Tuesday morning. The popular radio
talk show, cut minutes before
air-time, is broadcast Tuesdays at
9:30 a.m. in the Bemidji area.
His decision not to air an interview
by host John Ainley with William
Lawrence, pubisher of the Ojibwe
News "was simply the fact that
Ainley did not consult me in time
for me to consider whether to run
with the program or not."
Samuelson, who has held the
position as General Manager of the
station for two weeks, was the past
Advertising Manager at the station.
"I would have consented to
running the program," said
Samuelson, "if I would have had
ample time to consider the
interview."
Lawrence, former candidate for
Red Lake Tribal Chairman, has long
opposed current tribal government
on the Red Lake Reservation and
has long been a controversial figure
in tribal politics.
"I'm not opposed to running
John Morrow candidate for Secretary-Treasurer
of Leech Lake Reservation Busness Committee
John Morrow announced his
candidacy for Secretary-Treasurer of
the Leech Lake Reservation
Business Committee on May 4,1990.
Morrow stated that "after much
thought, in consultation with various
political ideologies, and, most
importantly, with the thought of the
future of the Leech Lake
Reservation in mind, I propose to
the persons of the Reservation the
following:
1] I would like to usher in a period
of four years of enlightenment of a
sharing of thoughts, not only by
Leech Lakers but other persons
years
which have resided here for
and even from truth.
2] A final Constitutional
Amendment hearing, open to anyone
who wants to say anything, for it is
my belief that you or anyone cannot
stiffle the human mind nor their
spirit of a desire to be free and
independent.
3] A slow cultivation of non-Indians
that are employed by the Leech Lake
Reservation. In particular the
so-called "Planning Division."
4] A concentration on Programs and
businesses which are failing, not on
those that are achieving, such as the
Leech Lake Bingo Palace.
5] An end to Political fund raising
for non-Indians and Indians alike,
for this extraordinary monetary
committment can be used for those
that do not have.
6] I will seek out a new legal firm
which will better represent the
Leech Lake Reservation and its
constituents.
7] A per capita payment from all
business profits, minus a 10 percent
contingency fund.
8] Although the RBC's are only
required by the Constitution to meet
only four times per year, you and I
know that they meet frequently in
secret in such places as Walker,
Duluth, Grand Portage, Bemidji, St.
Paul, Minneapolis, Las Vegas,
Chicago, Washington, D.C., I will
submit to the Leech Lake
Reservation a Resolution to open all
these meetings to those that want to
participate in such debates about the
future and consequently our
children's. Also in the Resolution I
will request that these meetings be
held within traveling distance of all.
In order to achieve these goals, I
need your vote", says Morrow.
controversial interviews on the
program," said Samuelson, "we run
a disclaimer with the program
explaining that the views expressed
on the program are not necessarily
the views of the station, its staff, or
management."
Ainley stressed that he had not
consulted with anyone at the station
about previous interviews. "I think I
have enough experience to not put
the station in a position to run
slanderous or libelous material," he
said. . ,   ,
Ainley,   former   State
Representative, previous owner of
the Park Rapids Enterprise, and
former General Manager of the
Bemidji Pioneer, has hosted the
radio talk show for two months.
Lawrence believes that the
decision was "obviously censorship"
on the part of the radio station.
Samuelson said that he would
permit the interview sometime in the
near future "given reasonable
notice" by Ainley of when he would
consider running the program.
"Whether or not the interview runs is
fine by me," said Samuelson, "it's
not up to me to have an opinion
about what is aired on the program, I
have to be objective in this."
As of press time, Ainley has not
decided whether or not he will air
the interview.
and a genuine concern for initiating
effective tribal government
management have convinced
McArthur that he is capable of
handling the post.
"The majority of our people are
not happy with the 'status quo' form
of government that exists and they
want change," he said.
McArthur sees this as a critical
time for "us as Indian people" on the
reservation. He would like to see "a
government who will take the time
to hold public meetings, a
government who will publish
financial reports and exhibit
accountability with Tribal and Band
funds and a government who will
serve all of us rather than a select
few."
McArthur, 37; has a wife,
Katherine; and three children, Jamie,
14; Nickolas, 10; and Lincoln, 8.
Incumbent Jerry Rawley, rural
Nay-tah-waush, and Oscar "Sunfish"
Oppegard are also vying for the post
of Secretary/Treasurer.
The Ojibwe News
examines
The White Earth
Land Recovery
Project
A three part series
starting June 6th