Samantha Ross collected 60 signatures in two days. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

new homes

Band member alleges unfair housing allocations in Little Red River

Dec 1, 2020 | 12:38 PM

A petition signed by 60 residents of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band’s (LLRIB) Little Red River reserve is calling for recent housing assignments to be overturned.

The petition alleges there has been conflict of interest, nepotism and favouritism when it comes to who in the community receives a new house. It was started by resident Samantha Ross, who recently went around collecting signatures in Little Red River and delivered the petition to the local band office for Coun. Keith Mirasty.

“It’s been going back several years where it’s been one particular family that receives the new housing units that are built on the reserve,” Ross claimed. “It’s favouritism within the band office because it is such a small entity.”

In November, Ross explained it was made known to band members who would be receiving two new houses nearing completion on the reserve. She alleged the houses are being given to two immediate family members of two residents who sit on the local five-person housing committee charged with allocating homes.

In the last two years, Ross claims other houses were also given to the immediate family members of those committee members. The decision to allocate the houses to specific recipients is being called unfair.

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“We have to speak up and say something,” she said.

Ross would like to see those who sit on the committee be switched for new members and for the two recent housing allocations to be overturned.

larongeNOW reached out to LLRIB Coun. Keith Mirasty for this article. He said he was aware of the petition but he didn’t want to comment on it.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno