T’exelc Referendum Policy
Summary & Recommendations June 2002
The Referendum Policy is in diaft form, we are currently going through community consultation
and plan to have it reviewed by a lawyer next month
If the policy is legally sound it may be adopted as a by-law
The main issue the community has to decide is what number of votes do you want in order for
the results of a referendum to be legally binding on the band. ‘This means what is the
MINIMUM number of votes that are acceptable to you as community members to go along with
the vote.
Example: If 150 people are eligible to vote (say there are 150 band members over
the age of 18)
Scenario A) 51% of eligible voters have to agree (77 people have to vote “yes” to
pass - it doesn’t matter how many people vote in total, as long as 51%
of the eligible voting population votes one way)
Scenario B) $1% of votes have to agree (this means that even if only 20 people
voted, 11 votes would decide on behalf of everyone ~ this is the
standard used by British Columbia.)
Scenario C) (this was the standard of the T'exeic referendum tast fall) 70% of
people have to vote (105 people) and 70% have to agree (74 people)
50 people) and out of the |
33 people)
Scenario D) 33% of voters have to vote (33% = one-third
votes, 66% have to agree (66% = two-thirds
RECOMMENDATIO)
I recommend Scenario D because:
Scenario A has already failed twice for Westbank First Nation (they were short by TWO votes
last month)
Scenario B is too open for the chance of a few people deciding on behalf of everyone
‘Scenario C, although ideal, is almost impossible to reach. Historically in this community, and in
BC and Canada and other jurisdictions, this threshold has never been met. If we set our
standards too high, we are setting ourselves up for Gisappointment.
For more information or to see the whole policy draft, talk to your Family Council Rep or
contact Alberta Archie, Self Government Coordinator. Kukstsetseme
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See over for the resulls of Westbank’ last referendum.
‘Westbank is currently working on chanaina the requirementec for their referendunis.