"Councillor explains suit "

SIX NATIONS - At last night's Band Council meeting Councillor Dave Johns explained to the press why he filed suit to stop the formation of the new Six Nations Education Board.

"If you won a million dollars would you give it to a bank or someone who said he was a bank?" Johns asked.

His analogy is meant to point out that he feels the new board has no legal status. Johns maintains that an education board will administer millions of dollars and it is important to make sure that any board that represents Six Nations has a clearly established legal foundation.

"There's two reasons I'm doing this. One, I want to make sure it is structurally sound and legal. Two, it's my job as councillor to address the concerns of the people." Johns explained. "Only one person has stated disapproval of what I'm doing."

When asked if any of his fellow councillors has voiced disapproval to him, Johns replied. "They haven't said a word. I don't think they know how to respond."

The councillor summed up his feelings by asking a question: "If we (Band Council) can't pass a by-law on pets under the Indian Act how can we enter into a multi-million dollar education package?"