Members of the Stoney Nakoda Nation voted down a land re-designation referendum yesterday, Feb. 15, which would have seen nearly 3,000 hectares of land re-zoned for commercial use.
Members of the Stoney Nakoda Nation voted down a land re-designation referendum yesterday, Feb. 15, which would have seen nearly 3,000 hectares of land re-zoned for commercial use.
While many Stoney members are relieved that this proposed land designation was voted down, Stoney Tribal Council said the move toward re-designation isn’t over and that a similar referendum will likely be brought forward in the future.
A total of 1,215 of 3,191 eligible voters from the Stoney Nation - Morley, Eden Valley and Big Horn - cast a ballot on Feb. 15. There were 654 ‘no’ votes and 558 voted 'yes.' Four of the ballots were spoiled. Representatives from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) handled counting process.
Heather Carnahan, the CEO of Stoney Nakoda holdings, said in an earlier interview that in the event of the referendum being voted down, the Stoney Tribal Council would revise and present a similar package again. Carnahan could not be reached for comment, but the Cochrane Eagle will provide further details as they become available.
"Should the Nation wish to seek the approval of the membership (to re-designate the land) in the future, the process would have to be re-initiated again under the Indian Referendum Regulations," said Stephanie Palma, a spokesperson with INAC.
In the weeks leading up to the vote, Morley community members expressed wariness about allowing the red-esignation. Concerns included a lack of notice, too many possible outcomes because parcels of land were cut from various areas of three separate Stoney town sites, and worries the plan might not result in the potential revenues it promised.
“Until there is a plan of development in place, then my vote will always be 'no,' ” said Stoney member Kiana Daniels. “I think we should go back to the drawing board and have a plan in place instead of saying yes to a land designation when we don’t even know what’s going to go there. ”
Daniels said during the information sessions, INAC pointed to the Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino as an example of successful land designation. However, Daniels countered that her community barely sees the benefits from the casino, where she worked for nearly three years.
“They told the people it was going to create jobs when really more than half of those workers over there are non-nation members. And there’s not even one manager there that’s First Nation. “I think they should go back to the drawing board and come up with something better. I’m all about economic development for our people. But that’s just not the way to do it. ”
Cochrane residents living in the community bordering the potential designated lands are also relieved.
Ellen Easton, a resident of Bow Ridge, which borders with the west end of the Morley reserve where parcels of land were slated for designation, said she’s pleased the Stoney community voted no.
“It is their land, absolutely, and they are free to do what they wish with it, we don’t have any say in that at all. But I’m quite happy it isn’t going to be developed right now, ” Easton said. “One of the reasons we chose the location we did is because it’s undeveloped and because it backs onto reserve land and it’s quiet and peaceful. ”
