Blueberry River First Nation rejects reports on Gauthier’s dismissal as council stands firm

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The council of Blueberry River First Nation (BRFN) has denied reports circulated through local media last week about the removal of councillor Shelley Gauthier.

Under the band custom election by-law, one councillor is selected to represent each of the five families in BRFN.  Gauthier was elected to represent the Apsassin family in 2022.

In a statement, BRFN says all claims made by the First Nation’s members on Friday in Fort St. John were “false” and that no proper application calling for Gauthier’s removal has been submitted to council.

The statement concludes by stating that Gauthier “will continue to be the representative” of the family of Edward Apsassin.

Energeticcity.ca reported the story on Friday, with Elder Clarence Apsassin saying the motion was “not personal” and citing an overall lack of transparency regarding Gauthier.

“A small group of members have provided the media with misleading and false information regarding Councillor Gauthier’s removal,” reads the statement signed by councillors Troy Wolf, Wayne Yahey, Sherry Domenic, and Gauthier. “There is no legitimacy to these claims.”

“BRFN members voted in a custom election code in 2017.  This code defines a formal process and steps to remove a member of council.  These requirements have not been met.”

Custom election by-laws require a petition signed by 60 per cent of the electors within the family group a councillor represents if that group has “lost confidence” in the representation.

Those who have signed must attend the next council meeting, either electronically or physically, and confirm their signatures.

A formal report must be presented and state the reasons for the removal to a council member or BRFN’s chief operating officer.

Apsassin responded on November 18th, telling Energeticcity.ca that a letter signed by BRFN Elders was presented to Gauthier, a councillor of the First Nation first elected in 2017.

“She’s going to be removed, whether she likes it or not,” said Apsassin, adding law enforcement may be called to clear her out of the band’s offices via a court order.

“We wanted to see her reaction to the letter from the elders.  We couldn’t give her the petition for two weeks, so we’ve posted it all over the office.”

Apsassin said other councillors “should not be interfering politically,” and the decision to dismiss Gauthier remained a “family issue.”

Gauthier said in an interview with energeticcity.ca that transparency, which the petition alleges is one of the grounds for the move to remove her, is untrue.

“My role as a family representative and a council member is to ensure that I protect the nation from individuals who are trying to benefit themselves without considering the overall current and future needs of our people,” said Gauthier.

She added that she has the “full support” from the majority of the Apsassin family in the community.