Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation (CTK) band members say they have been left with more questions than answers following the recent arrest of their Chief.
“What do we do and where are we at? Why are we in this mess?” asked band senior Errol Eashappie. “It was a surprise [Wednesday] that this happened.”
CTK Chief Scott Eashappie was arrested by the File Hills Police Service (FHPS) earlier this week.
He faces charges of fraud over $5000, theft over $5000, money laundering and breach of trust.
According to documents obtained from FHPS, Chief Eashappie has been granted a conditional release where File Hills Police Service has recommended he be banned from contacting CTK administration or elected officials.
He is also recommended to have no access to the nation’s financial records or accounts, have no authority over band finances and cannot access administration offices among several other recommended conditions.
As a result of the uncertainty, band members say they are unsure who is leading their nation at the moment.
“Our Chief has been arrested,” Connie Gray Bellegarde said. “We have councillors who are trying to help us, they’re trying to make things better.”
“But its very divided,” she added.
CTV News could not reach Chief Eashappie for comment. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 6.
Council Meeting
Band members hoped some of their questions were going to be answered at a meeting called on Thursday.
“People are scared,” Gray Bellegarde said. “They’re confused, they don’t know where to go and what to do. It’s very, very sad because [we’re] at a stage where you’re not sure who you should talk to.”
Some CTK council members received an update from FHPS prior to the public meeting.
However, that meeting was closed to the public. FHPS declined to comment on the update that its members provided.
A public meeting was scheduled after the update but did not go ahead due to council being unable to form quorum (i.e. not having the minimum number of members present)
“Council has a fiduciary obligation, a duty to its members to carry the title and its members,” CTK Coun. Terrina Ashdohonk-Bellegarde said during the meeting.
“We also have an obligation to ensure the protection of financials.”
Errol Eashappie was understanding of the fact that council is involved in an active police investigation - meaning answers may be delayed.
“[They] have to stick to what [they] said,” he told CTV News. “And [we] can’t jump to conclusions.”
“We will be so happy when the police are able to come back and tell us what’s happened,” Gray Bellegarde added. “We are just very, very confused people, because we don’t know what’s going on.”
Despite the uncertainty, band members hope the community can move forward untied.
“Hopefully this whole matter can be resolved,” Errol Eashappie said. “And let’s create unity once again. Let’s come together as a band and work together.”
Council agreed the community deserves the answers to their long list of questions but would not comment further from what they told band members prior to the meeting’s adjournment.
Councillors expect an emergency meeting to be called soon, but a date has not yet been set.
Clarification
A previous version of this article stated that Eashappie's conditions were ordered by a court, but are in fact recommended conditions from the File Hills Police Service.
