KAMSACK — A new council was sworn at at The Key First Nation.
New Chief Dustin Dayan Brass was elected with 393 of 616 total votes cast. He was elected along with a team of candidates he ran with: Kimberley Keshane (252 votes), Richard Crane (242), Shannon Brass (221), David D. Cote (274) and Jay-Cee Brass (259).
The swearing in ceremony was held at the Saulteauplex at The Key First Nation on June 27.
Dustin Brass said he has plans to hire a communications officer to “ensure that timely, accurate, and informed information comes from the council chambers,” noting that communication was something he heard from band members on the campaign trail.
“What we wanted to make sure over these next four years is focusing on informed consent and consultation with our membership.”
Another item on the council’s agenda will be the creation of urban offices. Brass said The Key First Nation has about 350 members of its 1,550 band members who live on nation. Of the 1,200 who don’t, a significant proportion are concentrated in nearby Canadian cities like Regina and Edmonton.
“We want to create urban offices for a number of reasons,” said Brass, who explained that the space would allow cultural programming like language classes, beading and sewing programs, men’s and women’s circles as well as counselling on things like taxes and home ownership.
“There’s a number of services the nation already does at the nation level but for some people [in urban areas] access is a big issue. So being able to access support in an urban setting is important.”
At the swearing in ceremony and in his interview with the Kamsack Times Brass repeated a Saulteaux word, Kisawenamin, “I love you.”
“As a chief, I love my people. I love my people and I’m going to work for my people. It doesn’t matter if they ran in opposition against me, it doesn’t matter if they didn’t vote for me. What matters is their members of The Key First Nation.”
Unsuccessful candidates for Chief were Percy O’Soup (106 votes), Clarence Papequash (87), and Ron Papequash (22).
The other candidates for council were Ferlyn Brass (76 votes), Jesse Thomas Brass (57), Joe Brass (112), Kenny Brass (81), Kevin Milton Brass (22), Ivan Chartrand (30), Chadwick Joseph Favel (79), Wyatt Holmgren-Brass (22), Nolan Keshane (142), Sidney Keshane (73), Clinton Key (92), Fernie OSoup (212), Glen O’Soup (99), Pastor Allan O’Soup (54), Esther Papequash (102), Shana Papequash (132), Solomon Reece (Brass) 122 and George Smith (55).
