Key positions at two local First Nations are vacant and no one is able to comment as to why.
An email sent to Ellen Torng on June 5, whose name is still listed as the chief executive officer as of June 20, was returned with the message that she no longer worked for the Gitga’at First Nation and that Teresa Robinson, who is currently listed as the financial administrator would be covering her role.
When contacted by the Northern View, Robinson was unable to comment on the matter. There is no job posting for chief executive officer on the band’s website other than a receptionist position dated 2009.
Gitga’at First Nation, also known as Hartley Bay Band is a remote community south of Prince Rupert with an on reserve population of 138 people and an off reserve population of 599 (as stated on the First Nations profiles page on the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada [INAC] website.)
On June 12, a Facebook post by Lax Kw’alaams Band stated that Linda Simon, administrator, was no longer employed with the band as of June 7. The post said that the council had chosen to go in a new direction.
Current Recreation Director for the band, Rudy Kelly, was announced as an interim administrator and he was unable to provide further information regarding the new direction the council was taking or what the discussion was surrounding her dismissal. A call to the John Helin, mayor of Lax Kw’alaams, received a brief response.
“I don’t want to talk to the newspaper,” he said, before any questions were asked.
Lax Kw’alaams has a registered on-reserve population of 650 members and an off reserve population of 3,116 (according to the First Nations profiles page on the INAC website).