Blueberry River First Nation Elder calls for governance reform

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Members of Blueberry River First Nation (BRFN)’s elders council have announced the removal of councillor Shelley Gauthier during a press conference in Fort St. John on Friday afternoon.

Under band custom, Gauthier represented the family of Edward Apsassin, and family members did not agree that their best interests were being represented.

Family members expressed serious concerns, including an overall lack of transparency and undermining the family’s trust.

BRFN Elder Clarence Apsassin expressed his concern about the First Nation’s governing structure at a conference room in the Holiday Inn Express off Alaska Highway.

According to Apsassin, the decision to remove has been posted in BRFN offices for at least two weeks, and the motion to remove Gauthier will be presented on the agenda of the council’s next meeting.

However, the motion to remove Gauthier is unrelated to the ouster of ex-BRFN Chief Judy Desjarlais, whose judicial review is currently before federal court.

“This is not personal,” said Apsassin. “This is business, and over half of our family has signed the process.”

“We’re asking all our people to show up in Blueberry. We signed the petition. It’s something that we’re working on right now to ensure that happens. So we are not just talking here. We are actually making things happen.”

“Band custom is the worst system ever,” added Norman Apsassin, who said finalizing signatures for the petition for Gauthier’s removal began in October. “It divides and conquers all the time.”

The two gentlemen were the only family members to attend the conference.  

Clarence Apsassin concluded the meeting, saying a “clean slate” for governance must occur within BRFN.

“Those council members have been there way too long,” he said. “Some have been there 19 years, some 16 years.”  

“They’re complacent and forget about the people.  They think they have all the answers. They are running it dictatorship style.”

Another meeting to discuss further reactions has been scheduled for Monday, November 18th, at 1:00 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express, located at 9504 Alaska Road in Fort St. John.

Energeticcity.ca contacted Gauthier for further comment but received no response by publication time.