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Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson will be seeking re-election after all.
She made the surprise announcement on Thursday after informing band members in December that she would not be putting her name forward in the upcoming band election.
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However, after a period of reflection and gathering input from community members, Cook-Searson said she believes there is still work she can do to lead the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) forward.
“I had a sincere desire to spend more time with my family as a wife, a mother and a kokhum (grandma) and my commitment to my family remains strong, but… right from the start when I announced, I started receiving calls,” she explained.
“Just getting so many calls from band membership just asking me to reconsider, and the pressure just kept on building, and there was so much support that they wanted me to continue the work. I listened, and many of our elders have asked me to put my name forward again, and I prayed about it, and at the end I decided to put my name forward again for re-election.”
Next month will mark Cook-Searson’s 21st year as LLRIB chief. She previously served as a band councillor for eight years.
Cook-Searson said now is an important time for her to remain chief as the band is at what she calls a pivotal moment.
“There’s a lot of stuff that we are working on right now, and there’s momentum and stability,” she added.
“There are other candidates out there, and it’s a democratic process, and at the end of the day it will be up to the membership who they want to lead our nation.”
While a date has yet to be set for the general election, nomination meetings will occur from 2-4 p.m. on March 13 in all six LLRIB communities.
Aside from chief, there will be 12 councillor vacancies, four of them in La Ronge and three in Stanley Mission.
Others who have already declared their intention to run as chief include Morris Cook, Jude Ratt and John P. Roberts.
