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The future of Meechewin Place store is unclear at this time. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW)

Lac La Ronge Indian Band terminates Meechewin Place business license

Jun 11, 2021 | 7:57 PM

The doors have been closed and the locks will be changed on a longstanding store in La Ronge.

On May 12, Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) passed a band council resolution that terminated and rescined the license granted by them to Henry McKenzie to operate Meechewin Place as a First Nation fuel and tobacco retailer on the reserve.

A press release from the LLRIB said they obtained judgement against McKenzie on April 4, 2019 in the sum of $3,063,799.48.

“Prior to this time, the LLRIB had tried unsuccessfully for a number of years to negotiate a resolution of the amount oustanding with Mr. McKenzie. The debt arose out of Mr. McKenzie’s failure to remit to the LLRIB, its share of the fuel and tobacco received by him.”

The press release went on to say the funds were to be used by the band for community and Elder purposes but instead “Henry McKenzie retained and used them for his own purposes.”

In addition to terminating the business license, the LLRIB is also authorized to change the locks and to use Meechewin Place for any purposes the band sees fit. They can also make applications to the courts or request help from RCMP to remove anyone associated with McKenzie from the premises.

The band took steps to implement the resolution on June 10 and took possession of the building and its contents.

McKenzie did not respond to larongeNOW’s request for an interview by the deadline for publishing this article.

Derek.Cornet@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @saskjourno

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