Ontario First Nation election offers lessons in democracy, transparency

A remote First Nation in northern Ontario is providing a model for how government accountability and transparency can be practised.

James Cutfeet was elected chief of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (Big Trout Lake) First Nation in July after the former chief, Donny Morris, and several councillors offered their resignations.

Cutfeet, a former civil servant with the federal Aboriginal Affairs ministry, said the two top priorities for his mandate are getting the community's finances in order and healing the rift in the First Nation, caused by a three-way split in the votes.

"The vote for the three chief candidates was pretty well even across the board," Cutfeet said. "So ways and means will be developed to assist and support how we can heal the community."

Cutfeet said he'll enlist the help of spiritual leaders, elders and youth in the community in that healing process.

If a tight three-way race that could create rifts that need healing sounds like a situation that could occur in Canadian politics this fall, other issues from the Kitchenuhmaykoosib election may also sound familiar.

Here are three lessons that could be learned about democracy and transparency from the remote First Nation:

• Election timing

When the former chief and councillors resigned, the community had to decide whether to hold a by-election or a full election to replace them. A referendum was taken door-to-door in Kitchenuhmaykoosib to determine which option community members favoured.

• Accountability on election promises

The new chief and council will make their work plan publicly available, Cutfeet said. It will include the name of the person responsible for each task and the target date for completion.

• Transparency on elected leaders' activities

Cutfeet said he'll keep community members apprised of all of his activities in the First Nation and will report to the community the details of when and why he travels.​

Kitchenenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug has a population of about 1,000 people and is located approximately 600 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay, Ont.