‘No trust’: Neskonlith members seek answers as tensions climb amid firings, lawsuit

By Aaron Hemens, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, IndigiNews Members of Neskonlith Indian Band are becoming increasingly frustrated with their leaders, after a councillor was removed from office over alleged election fraud and two staff people were fired. Lawyers for Neskonlith’s chief and council say the band removed an unidentified councillor “alleged to have engaged in election fraud” during the community’s last elections in 2023. The tensions are about more than an election, however — as a series of controversies have fuelled mistrust between the First Nation’s voters and those they elected to office nearly three years ago. The dismissals and allegations have sparked a lawsuit, transparency concerns, and a formal complaint to Canada over alleged financial mismanagement. Tensions within the 697-member Secwépemc community erupted during an emergency community meeting in…

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