
Voters elect Cook-Searson for sixth term as chief
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.