Buffalo Point band plans to oust hereditary chief – The Globe and Mail
Members of the Buffalo Point First Nation are planning a Federal Court challenge in the hope of removing hereditary chief John Thunder and allowing elections for the first time in more than 40 years.
Mr. Thunder is currently facing an extortion charge in relation to an e-mail he sent to Conservative Senator Don Plett, who is among a group of cottagers in the community at odds with the chief.
Mr. Thunder and his father, Jim, have led the community since the late 1960s without an election. Their leadership has won praise for creating successful on-reserve enterprises – including cottages, a resort and a golf course. However, there has been tension over the years between Mr. Thunder and some members of the First Nation who believe he is not sharing enough of this business revenue with the community.
In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Mr. Thunder insisted that elections would be a waste of time and money on Buffalo Point. He said he has the support of his family and his family is the largest in the small southeastern Manitoba community on the shores of Lake of the Woods.
