Re-elected - Chief Glenn Hudson on March 24th, 2011
Commitment, Experience, Results - Putting Peguis First
Dear Pequis Members
I want to write and personally thank our membership for the honour of being elected for a third consecutive term, with an increased majority, and everyone who worked so hard to support me.
We had a well-contested election, with a variety of ideas offered, and I also wish to express my appreciation to all those candidates who ran fair campaigns and for their positive contributions and ideas.
I have listened to what the community had to say and vow to continue engaging members – from our youth to our elders – in our plans and decisions as we move ahead.
You have now spoken clearly by electing a majority council that is strongly committed to continuing with the reforms of the past four years and building on investment and development plans that we have started to implement.
But I also know I cannot accomplish our goals without your help. I need and appreciate your support and help not just at election time but as we move forward and I hope you will join me in our collective duty to work together and put Peguis first.
As I said during the campaign I am immensely proud of our Nation for our courageous decisions of the past few years to embrace good governance and fiscal accountability reforms, and to accept and wisely invest two settlement claims totalling more than $190 million which have placed Peguis First Nation in a good position to build for the future.
We have made housing and infrastructure priorities and will continue to do so, along with flood protection, both in the short-term for the imminent risks our community faces, and in the long-term for the funding required from government to prevent future flooding.
As you know Peguis has now been restored to three year funding from INAC demonstrating that we have made great strides in overcoming the problems inherited in 2007, as does the fact that Peguis has climbed from 37th place out of 64 Manitoba First Nations in terms of good governance, to 10th place in 4 short years.
We still have work to do, however, to bring down the debt that we inherited in 2007 as the result of previous practices, and to finally escape from co-management. I believe this is achievable as we continue to implement fiscal management and open government reforms and pursue investment and development opportunities, such as the Kapyong Barracks lands in Winnipeg.
It is also my hope to work with the new council and the community to investigate whether more stability and progress can be achieved by moving to elections every four years instead of every two, and looking at the merits of expanding the size of the elected council to provide broader representation.
Again, my thanks for your participation and support during the election. Please be assured that I will continue to be available to each and everyone of you to talk, listen and act on your ideas and on your behalf as we, together continue building a brighter future for all Pequis members.
Chief Glenn Hudson
-----------------------------------------------
Many things have changed since you first did me the great honour of choosing me to be your chief, but the principles that I ran on remain as firm as ever.
• I still believe in and am committed to putting Peguis First!
• I still believe in and will continue to work to enable our youth, our elders, and our community to work together for the greater good of all of us!
• I still believe in and am committed to continuing to provide accountable government!
• I still believe in and am committed to continuing to provide open-book finances!
• I still believe in and am committed to continuing to keeping politics and favouritism out of the workplace and community services!
• I still believe in and am committed to continuing to improve our open-book policies!
• I still believe in and am committed to continuing to work with the community to create a proud and prosperous future for our members and for future generations!
I believe… we are putting Peguis first by adding more council members. This will ensure the good work gets done.
So what has changed?
When you first elected me Chief in 2007, I pledged to make good governance, financial transparency, enhancing community involvement and ending partisan politics and favouritism top priorities.
When you re-elected me in 2009 it was to continue with this work and to pursue a land claims surrender settlement payment and to ensure that the vast majority of these funds remained in trust for the future.
On this last point you specifically rejected a counter proposal that virtually all the finds be paid out to the membership, leaving nothing for the future.
As a result of your direction in these past two elections, many changes have occurred, including:
• Initiating and taking a reduction in the Chief’s Salary of more than $30,000 a year;
• Implementing quarterly open council meetings at which chief and council could finally be held accountable and questioned on their actions and polices;
• Implementing a quarterly news letter to keep the community informed of events, policies and issues of importance;
• Initiating community meetings on specific issues of importance, such as housing and working to bring the youth, elders and the whole community together to work for the common good;
• Creating a new policy development and policy manual;
• Establishing a new human resources department to take favouritism out of the process;
• Tackling an inherited $26 million debt, which involved undergoing a series of independent audits which were essential in terms of establishing good governance and financial transparency and responsibility;
• Completing as per you voting instructions the $60 million Land Treaty Entitlement and the $126 million 1907 Land Claims Surrender settlement ;
The Present
As a result of the above and other changes our proud Peguis First Nation:
• Climbed from 49th out of 60 Manitoba First Nations on the Frontier Centre for Policy’s good governance rankings in 2007 to eighth place last year – a position that is expected to improve further once the results of an INAC audit are released;
• Is awaiting the release of an INAC audit which it expected to vindicate the current leadership and pave the way for renewed operation funding and an end to the mandatory co-management of our band’s operations which was imposed as a result of fiscal management issues under the previous administration;
• Is operating under clear rules and policies which eliminate favouritism and ensure fairness to all, services based on need and entitlement, and jobs based on merit and performance;
• Has become - thought the community’s wise decision to bank the vast majority of its two recent settlements – a major economic factor in Manitoba, with;
- $60 million available for land purchases - $81 million for ongoing investment - $27 million for capital projects on reserve, such as housing and medical and community facilities
The future
I am proud of what we have achieve together during my time as chief, but there is much more to be done and I hope to receive the honour again of being chosen by you to address the issues that still face us and to put Peguis first is seizing the great opportunities that now like ahead of us.
• Debt. Despite housing and other audits that found accounting and other issues which added more $3 million to the $26-million debt in place in 2007, we have managed to reduce our debt to $22 million, but more has to be done and will be done to reduce this debt;
• Flooding. We have fought long and hard for promised federal and provincial funding to repair the damage caused by the five flood experienced by our community, and while some money been provided much works needs to be done and we are still fighting to get 50 residents who are still living in temporary accommodation in Winnipeg to be returned home.
Every effort will continue to be devoted correcting this and:
- Ensuring that our community treated as a priority for emergency services for the new flood we all fear is coming this spring;
- Pursue all means, including legal options if necessary to ensure that a long term flood prevent plan is implanted for our community;
• Education: I am committed to our plans to develop a Regional Education Facility with the goal of establish our area as an educational center and economic hub of Northern Interlake region in Manitoba. Our goal is to attract students from Peguis, Fisher River Cree Nation, the Interlake Tribal Council area, non-First Nations students in surrounding North Interlake region and First Nations throughout northern Manitoba and assist them academically, culturally and socially.
• Health care. I am committed to completing our own Peguis hospital which will serve not only our community, but also provide health services for the surrounding area;
• Housing. This remains a top and pressing priority and will continue to receive my utmost attention. There were 23 homes built in 2008 and a Housing Authority was established in 2009 to oversee ongoing work. A six-plex for people aged 55 and over was constructed in 2010.
We faced challenges as the result of the CHMC audit of previous housing work, which found previous uncompleted work dating back to 2005, but we are now committed to building 100 new homes over the next two years and provide a 44-bed facility for seniors;
• Investment in the future: I am committed to ensure that we get the best return we can on our financial investments and to fighting to ensure that Peguis ultimately is able to exercise its right to purchase the former Kapyong Barracks in Winnipeg for prime real estate development and investment returns.
Recent News
[2011/4/10]
Hudson re-elected for third term as Peguis chief By John TownsPosted 1 hour agoPEGUIS - After handily beating out his nearest competition by more than 350 votes in last week's election, newly re-elected Peguis Chief Glenn Hudson says he's ready to m...
[2011/2/23]
KAPYONG BARRACKS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FIRST NATIONS AND WINNIPEG WINNIPEG: Tuesday, February 22: A speedy decision from today’s federal court of appeal hearing that upholds the Treaty One First Nations right to the Kapyong Barrack lands would be good news for First...
[2011/2/4]
Peguis facing sixth major flood in three years By Spectator staffFebruary 4, 2011The latest Manitoba flooding assessments have left Canada's most flooded community in recent years bracing for more devastation this spring – and fearing that it will...
[2011/2/2]
Gov’ts should protect community: Peguis chief - Winnipeg Sun A Manitoba First Nation Chief is criticizing the province and the feds for what he says is inaction on protecting his community from expected flooding.Peguis Chief Glenn Hudson said the First Nation o...
[2009/2/2]
Not enough ballots cast in land-claim settlement vote - Ottawa Citizen By Lindsey Wiebe and Alexandra PaulJanuary 25, 2009WINNIPEG -- A vote on the largest aboriginal land-claim settlement in Canada's history ended in disappointment Sunday after Manitoba's Peguis First N...
[2009/2/2]
Peguis Deal Up in Air - SUN MEDIA New vote slated for July after failure to poll majorityBy JASON HALSTEAD, SUN MEDIALast Updated: 26th January 2009, 4:27pmThe issue of whether Peguis First Nation accepts a $127-million land-claim set...
[2009/1/8]
Obama advisers offer support on treaty rights: Canadian chiefs By Alexandra Paul, Winnipeg Free PressJanuary 8, 2009 WINNIPEG — Canadian First Nations chiefs say aboriginal affairs advisers to U.S. president-elect Barack Obama told them Thursday the new administ...
[2008/11/4]
Aboriginal chiefs pitch business deals to China - Delta Optimist Aileen McCabe, Asia Correspondent, Canwest News ServicePublished: Tuesday, November 04, 2008BEIJING - Amid the well-tailored suits and silk ties of Canada's business elite, Chief Calvin Helin stood ou...
[2008/5/24]
Land fraud settlement would give Manitoba First Nation $126M WINNIPEG - "Check, check, settlement cheque,” quipped Peguis First Nation Chief Glenn Hudson, testing the cluster of microphones set up to capture news of a record $126-million settlement resolving a ...
[2007/3/25]
Manitoba's longest serving chief defeated Manitoba's longest serving First Nations chief, Peguis’s Louis Stevenson has been defeated. Stevenson, who suffered a heart attack during the campaign, lost to his long-time rival Glenn Hudson. The vo...
[2007/3/22]
Election Information '07 (Past Election) NOTICE OFNOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS 2007NOMINATION MEETING: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 20075 P.M. to 8 P.M. ELECTIONS: THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 20079 A.M. to 8 P.M. PLACE: PEGUIS COMMUNITY HALL FOR: ONE (1) C...
[2007/3/19]
A Message from Glenn Hudson The people of Peguis deserve more from their candidates than mere political spin, grand standing and name-calling. They deserve to know where their candidates for leadership stand on the issues of con...
[2007/3/15]
2006 Scorecard for Peguis Governance The Campaign to Elect Glenn Hudson Peguis Chief has uncovered a 2006 independent report ranking First Nation communities in Manitoba. The results clearly show that the Peguis First Nation is not the p...
[2007/3/12]
You can't complain if you don't vote - Winnipeg Free Press Mon Mar 12 2007COLLEEN SIMARD - Winnepeg Free PressARE you on the list? A mass e-mail from a chum landed in my mailbox the other day. It was about the upcoming Peguis First Nation band election on Mar...
Membership Information
INFORMATION FOR POTENTIAL BAND MEMBERS OF PEGUIS FIRST NATION
A number of persons received a letter from the Registrar of Indian Affairs confirming their reinstatement to Indian status. The letters also recommended that each person must apply to the Peguis First Nation for membership. Accordingly, if you wish to be a member of the Peguis First Nation you must submit your application for membership.
To download an application for membership click on the following link
Treaty 1 Chiefs Make Trip To Washington... Tribes want share of oil revenue - Ask Obama to pressure Ottawa to share... The Battle of the Barracks Treaty One challenges feds over Kapyong transfer... “This is the type of development that the federal government should be supporting.” Chief Glenn Hudson Download your copy of the Treaty 1 Newsletter!
