Accusing the Walpole Island Chief and Band Council of corruption and mismanagement, dozens of residents are pushing for the removal of the First Nation’s leadership.
A community group gathered at the Walpole Island Governance Building on Tuesday citing a long list of accusations ranging from alleged nepotism and misappropriation of funds to abuse of power.
In a statement, residents accused the chief and council of passing a motion on August 13 to compile private information on staff salaries and out-of-court settlements. This information was ultimately leaked to the public through social media, which the group called a criminal act and a violation of the Personal Information Protection and Electronics Documents Act.
“The community has suffered greatly from lack of proper leadership. These improper dealings have led to several complaints,” the residents said in a statement.
Community members at the demonstration said they hoped the protest would lead to the removal of the chief and council from office.
The next chief and band council election for Walpole Island is slated for September 21. Current Chief Dan Miskokomon was elected in 2022, along with the band council, for a two-year term.
In September 2023, the leadership launched a multi-year audit into Walpole Island’s finances amid public criticisms of local leadership. Over the weekend, the chief and council announced that a financial audit for 2022-2023 would be presented to local residents on September 16 at the Walpole Island Sports Complex. The meeting is only open to members of the First Nation.