Click here to sign up for our daily newsletter
Chief Tammy Cook-Searson was 33 years old when first elected to the position. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)
band election

Voters elect Cook-Searson for sixth term as chief

May 27, 2020 | 4:43 PM

She’s been the chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band since 2005 and voters have returned Tammy Cook-Searson to the position for a sixth term.

Cook-Searson earned 40 per cent of the ballots cast with 1,346 out of 3,480 votes. Jude Ratt, who during the election promised to enhance the quality of life and living standards for members, placed second with 780 votes or 23 per cent. Natalie Aldridge took third with 456 votes followed by Bruce McKenzie with 358, Tom J. McKenzie with 292 and finally Eugene Mirasty with 186.

Cook-Searson campaigned heavy on the construction of a $16.1 million wellness, treatment and recovery centre for northern Saskatchewan. She also promised to lobby for more on-reserve housing, as well as for hemodialysis treatment at the La Ronge Health Centre. larongeNOW reached out to Cook-Searson for an interview, but didn’t hear back by publishing.

All four La Ronge area councillors were re-elected against 10 other candidates including Annie Ratt with 529 votes, Sam Roberts with 455, Dennis Sanderson with 373 and Michael Bird with 336. Gerald Mckenzie of Grandmother’s Bay was also re-elected with 124 votes, as well as Norman Ross of Hall Lake with 123.

Devin Bernatchez is a new councillor in Sucker River. (Devon Daniel Bernatchez/Facebook)

Devin Bernatchez is a new councillor who will be representing Sucker River. He was in a local four-way race and won with 112 votes. Jimmy Charles is also a new councillor in Stanley Mission receiving 645 votes. He joins Linda Charles with 658 votes and John Roberts with 407 who were both re-elected.

Keith Mirasty was re-elected in Little Red River with 134 votes. John Halkett, who is a former councillor but not an incumbent, was the second councillor voted in with 92.

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno