"New Band Council takes oath of office"

By Lynda Powless, Editor

Six Nations 51st Band Council and second "custom" council has taken office after the new band council members were swam in last Tuesday.

Six Nations Justice of the Peace Norma Lickers swore in each council member and signed their oath of office in a ceremony somewhat more sombre than the ceremony that welcomed Band Council Chief Wellington Staats back from retirement three years ago.

Then Minister of Indian Affairs Ron Irwin attended the ceremony along with representatives from all surrounding municipalities and the federal MPs. Minister of Indian Affairs, Brant MP Jane Stewart did not attend the inauguration.

This time only Brantford Mayor

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Chris Friel, Brant County Mayor Ron Eddy and New Credit Band Council Chief Carolyn King attended along with family of the council members and band staff.

Six Nations Band Council Chief Wellington Staats welcomed the new council saying he hoped this council continued along the same route as the former council in "trying to get some jurisdiction for ourselves in this community."

He said he is hopeful the council will continue to work towards financial independence. "We were never happy with being wards of the crown." He said council had to work towards long range plans.

Councillors have begun a series of meetings with band managers and met Saturday to discuss its future political agenda. All the sessions were closed to the public.

He told the council members, Tuesday, they were now in the "eye of the public" and would be subject to criticism, question, "What ever you do reflects on the community. We have to show leadership."

Staats told them he feels he has an obligation to the people of the community. "We represent them everywhere we go, across this country."

He told them "sometimes we will have arguments with out community but over all we have done very, very well. This is an honourable job, it is a political job and you take a lot of flack, some of it is good, some of it is bad, but it is a job you can feel something, satisfaction with what you did.

He told them they were not there to grand stand or to enrich themselves but for "the betterment of the community."

He said he was quite pleased with the last council, "they knew business ventures was going to be the future of Six Nations."

Brantford Mayor Chris Friel welcomed the new members of council and said he looked forward to working with them over his next two years in office.

Brant County Mayor Ron Eddy told the council, there has been a lot of confusion about the name of the new amalgamated county. He said the new County will soon begin meeting.