It was a community election with results that were eagerly awaited throughout the Cree Nation. One of the great Cree statesmen from the past would be running for Deputy Chief, Billy Diamond.
Newly elected Deputy Chief Steve Diamond said “I was surprised by the margin by which I won. I will have to live up to that level of support. I haven’t much political experience and I was running against a formidable opponent.”
Diamond, 28, says he didn’t have much time to get really nervous during the campaign since he was also getting married. “Thanks to all my supporters for the wedding gift,” he joked adding he didn’t expect to win when he heard he was running against Billy Diamond.
Diamond attributes his win to the “youth flexing their muscle,” saying that they may have felt they weren’t really represented on the Band Council.
Diamond hopes to bring a fresh perspective to the Council and says his background in accounting may help to make some sense out of Waskaganish’s problems. “Waskaganish has had some problems in that area in the past,” he admitted.
Election results in Waskaganish – August 28, 2001.
Deputy Chief
Diamond, Billy 136
Diamond, Steve 302
Steve Diamond duly elected as deputy-chief for a mandate of four years for the Waskaganish band.
Four Councilors
Blueboy, Gordon 322
Diamond, Ian 114
Diamond, Ronald 179
Diamond, Shirley 139
Hester Jr., Walter G. 232
Jonah Jr., James 236
Moar, Bert W. 187
Weistche, Alec 239
Whiskeychan, Angus 81
Duly elected councillors of the
Waskaganish band for a mandate of four
years:
Gordon Blueboy, Alec Weistche, James Jonah Jr. and Walter G. Hester Jr.
