A notice has been put forward to the Qalipu Electoral Officer, Carol Lahey on Saturday, October 5, 2021, at approximately 9:00AM that Candidate Rod Bennett who was nominated for Central Vice Chief has withdrawn his candidacy.  As required under Section 22 of the Custom Rules Governing Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Elections Bennett’s Letter of Withdrawal has been received by the Electoral Officer.

Due to an influx of calls to our Electoral Officer, Carol Lahey surrounding the upcoming Qalipu Election we would like to reshare previously accessible information that has been posed at www.qalipu.ca/qalipu-election-2021/, over our Social Media platforms, weekly newsletters, and radio/news advertising. A voters information package will be delivered to all members via postage mail and/or email IF you already have this information entered on your GINU Membership Profile [Click here to check your GINU Profile https://mala.qalipu.ca/ginu/login.aspx ]

Here is a summary video of important voter information:

Here is a written summary of Voter Information:

• Election Day: October 22, 2021
• Ballots will be cast by telephone (landline or cell) OR through online access
  • This form of electronic balloting was majority voted from your 2018 election referendum. This allows further accessibility to Qalipu Members who reside outside of the province or the country.
• Election Window: October 14^th through October 22^nd
  • Voting window opens at 8:00am on the 14^th
  • You can vote at ANYTIME (24rs a day)
  • Voting will end 8:00pm on the 22^nd
• Helpline Opening October 12^th through 22^nd
  • Helpline will be open daily 8:00am to 7:00pm on October 12^th to 21^st
  • On October 22^nd the helpline will be open 8:00am to 8:00pm
• Qualifications to vote:
  • 18 years or older and a registered member of Qalipu First Nation by October 22, 2021

Note: Your GINU Membership profile must have your current address and/or email address for you to receive a voters PIN. Although there will be a helpline available to aid in retrieving a PIN we advise members to update your GINU Profile information as soon as possible: https://mala.qalipu.ca/ginu/login.aspx

OR call 709-634-4010, please leave a voicemail stating your name and phone number. Call backs may not be immediate but please be patient with this process.

A full voters list can be accessed here: https://qalipu.ca/qalipu/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Voters-List.pdf

• If your name is highlight in Red it could mean one of the following
  • Missing your mailing and/or civic address
    • Or the registered address is out of country and not applying an electoral ward to your profile
  • Missing your phone number and/or email address
  • Or you may have already updated your information by logging in or speaking to one of our staff but the newest updated voters list is not yet available [please check the updated date stated in the top right corner of the page i.e. “Updated: 2021-09-25”
• Casting your Ballot (via telephone or through online access that will be provided in your voters information package with your voting PIN number)
  • You will cast a ballot for Chief, Vice-Chief, and Ward Councillor (unless your ward councillor won by acclamation)
  • You will also be prompted to the 2021 Referendum Vote which states:
    • Are you in favour of amending Section 29.1 Tenure of Office, of the Custom Rules Governing Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Elections from its current stated three-year term to a four-year term in office for an elected Chief & Council?
    • If the majority vote is “yes,” to change to a four-year term, the changes will come into effect during the next election in 2024. Which we will then see the 2024 Chief and Council hold a term until 2028.
  • Electoral Officer, Carol Lahey 709-630-7678 or clahey@qalipu.ca

A notice has been put forward to the Qalipu Electoral Officer, Carol Lahey on Saturday, September 11, 2021 at approximately 10:30AM that Candidate Dean Gillingham who was nominated for the Gander Bay Ward has withdrawn his candidacy.  As required under Section 22 of the Custom Rules Governing Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Elections Gillingham’s Letter of Withdrawal has been received by the Electoral Officer.

Nominations are now being accepted for the positions of Chief, Central Vice Chief, Western Vice Chief and Councilor for each of Qalipu’s nine electoral Wards (Flat Bay, St. George’s, Stephenville, Port au Port, Benoit’s Cove, Corner Brook, Exploits, Glenwood and Gander Bay)

Have you thought about representing your community, region or maybe the entire nation as Chief? Working on the Qalipu Council is an important job and we hope that many good candidates will present themselves before the nomination period ends at 4:00 PM on Wednesday September 12.

If you’re thinking about it, and wondering what’s involved, take a look at the roles and responsibilities associated with each of the Council positions:

Information for Chief

Information for Vice-Chief

Information for Councilor

For information on nominations, including a link to the required form, please go to:
https://qalipu.ca/notice-of-call-for-nominations-qalipu-first-nation-band-election/

We wish to advise our members that the Qalipu Chief and Council have appointed Carol Lahey to the position of Electoral Officer.  In this role, Carol will  administer the upcoming Band Election in accordance with the Custom Rules Governing the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Elections.

Carol Lahey was a Deputy Electoral Officer in both the 2012 and 2015 Qalipu elections, and as such has become proficient in her understanding of our election process, rules and procedure.  She also brings with her experience working in both provincial and federal elections.

We look forward to another successful election in 2018.

To reach Carol, please email election@qalipu.ca

or call 709-634-7823

The Election Office is located at:
Suite 313
93 West Street
Corner Brook, NL
A2H 2Y6

Per Section 34 of the Custom Rules Governing Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Elections, we wish to advise our members that a referendum vote to amend the Custom Rules will be held on October 23, 2018 at polling locations in each of our nine Wards, and at an advance poll to be held on October 16.  Amendment voting ballots will also be included in mail-out voting packages provided in the 2018 Qalipu general election.

A summary of the proposed changes can be found below in the Q & A

NEW! A full copy of the Custom Rules with amendments is now available to membership please click here to view.

Referendum Vote Q & A

Is Qalipu having a referendum vote to change the way it runs elections?

Yes.  To change the Custom Rules that govern our elections, the Council may direct that a referendum (amendment vote) be held to obtain the consent of membership.

Council has indicated that a referendum will occur in harmony with the 2018 election.  Meaning, with mail-in ballots, at the advance poll, and on polling day, membership will have an additional question included in their ballot package to change the way we administer elections.

The referendum will take place by advance poll on October 16 and at polling stations throughout the nine Wards on October 23, 2018.

Why does Qalipu want to change the way we do elections?

Following the election in 2015, Qalipu realized several issues that need to be resolved to make our elections more effective in the future.

• Some voters reported arriving at their polling station to find that they had been incorrectly listed in a different voting location.
• Others found that the distance they had to travel to their designated poll was unreasonable, which is not surprising considering Qalipu is made up of 67 geographically spread out communities in nine different Wards.
• In some areas where there is a high concentration of voters, some voters were stuck waiting in line for several hours just to cast their vote.
• Most people agreed that the time frame on returning mail-in ballots was too short. The 2015 election also saw a low voter turnout (approximately 23%) and this is something else that we can do better.
• The polling station election format is expensive, time consuming and inaccessible.

 So, what election change will voters be asked to decide on?

Membership will be asked whether they are in favour of moving to a mail, telephone and internet voting solution.

What does that mean?

It means that every eligible voter will receive voting details in the mail without having to request it.  Voters will be given a personal identification number to cast their vote using either the internet, wireless devices and mobile or landline telephones.  A helpline would be available for anyone who has trouble with the process, and Qalipu is looking at making several polling stations available regionally to provide in-person support should voters feel they need to vote in person.

Why would we change to this way of voting?

There are many benefits to this voting method:

• Every eligible voter will be engaged in the election. They will receive a Personal Identification Number and Voter Instruction Letter in the mail via Canada Post.
• Voters will be given a 5-10-day period to vote from the comfort of their home via the internet, wireless devices OR mobile or landline telephones. Voters may also choose to visit one of several regional polling stations to receive in person voting support.
• Voters will be provided with the contact number for a Voter HelpLine so that they have someone to contact if they have any trouble casting their vote.
• Inclusion: ability for everyone to vote regardless of their mobility or location.
• Automatic: voters will not have to request their ballot. All voters will receive everything they need to vote in the mail through Canada Post.
• Greater participation: Since every voter will receive their voting details in the mail, and they can vote from the comfort of their own home, we expect a much higher engagement from our membership during election time.
• Voting is private, secure and anonymous. PIN security and event auditability are paramount in the design and delivery of this voting solution which is delivered by an experienced and trusted company.
• Financial savings. E-voting will cost less than half of our current method of voting, money that can be put back into community development, and cultural initiatives.
• Results will be clear and timely.

Can we trust a company to deliver our election?

Intelivote Systems Inc. (ISI), the company with whom we have been working, is a recognized leader in the successful implementation of this type of election.  The company has extensive subject matter expertise in Union voting events, Municipal elections, Aboriginal voting events, Leadership Elections and Association Elections.

All the election services are provided through Intelivote software are secured by encryption, digital certificates and login IDs and passwords.

Voter anonymity, PIN security and event auditability are paramount in the design and delivery of the eVoting solutions they provide.

ISI maintains a hosted data centre environment in Halifax through Bell Canada, which also hosts some of the most sensitive government and financial applications running in Atlantic Canada.

ISI delivers elections with a team of information systems professionals and electronic voting experts.

Who will be eligible to vote to change the Custom Rules Governing Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band elections?

Only those members 18 years of age or over on the date of the Qalipu election, whether Founding Members on the updated list, former Founding Members who have remained members through a category change or have become members through an application seeking registration under the Indian Act, will be eligible to vote.

An updated Founding Members list has been passed through Order in Council and came into effect on June 25, 2018.   Qalipu expects to have a copy of this list on August 31, 2018.

Won’t the recent court rulings change this?

With the recent court rulings, regarding the right to appeal for applicants denied on the self-identification criterion, for instance, we could see more people added to the Band.   At this time however, we can only work with what’s in front of us.  We expect to have an established Band list by August 31, and this will determine not only who our eligible voters are but also, who can run for Council.

If the membership accepts these proposed changes to the Custom Rules, when will the changes come into effect?

Changes to the Custom Rules would come into effect for the next general election in 2021.