Federal officials pressured Qalipu First Nation enrolment committee, according to documents
CBC
The former chair of the Qalipu First Nation enrolment committee says the federal government sought increasing oversight over the membership process as the number of applications for entry into the band climbed higher than expected.
Tom Rideout, who chaired the committee from 2008 to 2012, testified via video as part of a provincial Supreme Court trial challenging a 2013 supplemental agreement between the federal government and the Federation of Newfoundland Indians, the organization that led the creation of Qalipu First Nation.
The court challenge, organized by Friends of Qalipu Advocacy Association, is seeking to scrap the 2013 agreement.
Friends of Qalipu lawyer Keith Morgan questioned Rideout, who was premier for a short time in 1989 and held several cabinet positions under former premier Danny Williams.
"Do you believe that the committee you chaired was competent?" Morgan asked.
"I certainly do, yes," Rideout answered.
But according to four letters entered in as evidence, the federal government began questioning the methods of the enrolment committee — eventually demanding oversight over 100 per cent of applications.
Rideout said the federal government initially asked to review 10 per cent the enrolment committee's work.
"I thought that was a reasonable request — up to a point — and we provided files for review," he said.
In a letter dated March 22, 2011, federal counsel Martin Reiher expressed concerns about the strength of the evidence in some applications — though he didn't question enrolment decisions.
"While most of the applicants and the persons providing affidavits are no doubt of good faith, some might not be completely uninterested in relying on vague and non-specific applications," he wrote.
Some affidavits were copied, or didn't include detail. According to Rideout, in those cases, the enrolment committee would request more information from applicants.
According to Rideout, after receiving the letter, the committee tightened up its evaluation of affidavits included in applications.
Once the Qalipu First Nation was officially established in 2011, the number of applications began skyrocketing.
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