To the Members of Keeseekoowenin Ojibway First Nation,
Over the past three years, it also became clear to me that the financial, governance, and administrative challenges facing our Nation were much larger than any one person could resolve alone. Upon my elected position, progress has been delayed by missing documentation, barriers to accessing information, inconsistent participation, and a lack of cooperation in key areas.
That is precisely why independent specialists were brought in.
They were engaged to strengthen governance, clarify roles and responsibilities, rebuild administrative systems, and help restore accountability throughout the organization.
The following points are provided to ensure the membership has accurate information regarding statements made during today’s meeting hosted at the band office without advance invitation nor my consent.
Statement: The Chief refuses to work with Council.
- Leadership meetings have continued to be called by the
- Every member of Council has continued to receive
- Council has also been invited to meetings with Indigenous Services Canada, provincial and federal representatives, MNP, governance specialists, Human Resources specialists, legal counsel, and external partners.
- Virtual attendance has also been made
- There have been numerous occasions where members of Council chose not to attend or
Council is not receiving information.
- Governance updates, policies, legal correspondence, financial information, and meeting materials continue to be distributed to Council through their official Keeseekoowenin Band email accounts.
- Official Band email accounts are the professional standard for conducting the Nation’s
- This protects confidential information and maintains an official record of
- Yellowhead Broadband has made multiple attempts to assist members of Council with setting up and accessing their official Band email accounts.
- Administration continues to distribute information through the Nation’s official communication
Statement: The Chief refused to sign the audits.
- This statement is
- MNP has not completed the
- The audits cannot be signed until they are completed by the independent
- MNP continues to wait for outstanding financial records and supporting
- Certain departments have not yet provided the documentation requested by
Members of Council were also asked to assist in ensuring requested information was obtained in a timely manner. One office remains inaccessible despite four separate attempts by MNP and the Human Resources Rapid Assessment team to obtain records required to complete the audit and organizational review.
Until this information is received and verified, the audit process cannot be completed.
- The financial, governance, and administrative issues affecting the Nation developed over many years.
- The scope of the work extended beyond what one individual could reasonably resolve
- Independent specialists were engaged to assist MNP, strengthen governance, rebuild administrative systems, clarify the roles of Chief, Council, and Administration, and improve accountability and organizational practices.
- These specialists were engaged because the work required professional expertise and independent assessment.
To ensure the community understands true governance which will assist to draw from what good governance is; my position as Chief is to provide leadership and strategic direction and protect the rights and future of our community.
The Council is to ensure there is policy direction/review, governance, oversight, and accountability.
Administration such as managers and directors are responsible for day-to-day operations, financial administration, human resources, program delivery, and implementing the direction established by Chief and Council.
I encourage community members to consider verified information, documented evidence, and the findings of independent professionals before drawing conclusions, and highly encourage members to attend the next open community meeting on July 23, 2026, at the Elphinstone community hall.
WITHOUT PREJUDICE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Chief Dwayne Blackbird
Ohkitchetah Assiginack