Wanderingspirit v. Marie, 2003 FCT 238

                                                                                                                                             Date: 20030225

                                                                                                                                        Docket: T-2007-02

                                                                                                                    Neutral citation: 2003 FCT 238

Ottawa, Ontario, February 25^th, 2003

PRESENT:      The Honourable Mr. Justice O'Reilly

BETWEEN:

                              MELVIN WANDERINGSPIRIT, DELPHINE BEAULIEU,

                     TONI HERON, RAYMOND BEAVER AND SONNY MCDONALD

                      IN THEIR CAPACITY AS COUNCILLORS OF THE SALT RIVER

                                    FIRST NATION 195, ELECTED AUGUST 30, 2002

                                                                                                                                                       Applicants

                                                                              - and -

                    VICTOR MARIE UNCONTESTED CHIEF AND NORMAN STARR

      UNCONTESTED DULY ELECTED BAND COUNSEL MEMBER, NORA BEAVER,

     DAVID GOWANS, CONNIE BENWELL, MICHEL BJORNSON, HARVEY LEPINE,

   AND DON TOURANGEAU, PURPORTEDLY ELECTED BAND COUNCILLORS AT A

             MEETING HELD NOVEMBER 3, 2002, AND JEANNIE MARIE-JEWELL,

                                            ACTING AS INTERIM BAND MANAGER

                                                                                                                                                    Respondents

                                               REASONS FOR ORDER AND ORDER

[1]                 The respondents have asked the Court for an order permitting them to satisfy certain accounts relating to a surveying contract, in light of the fact that by Order of Rouleau J. dated January 10, 2003 the Band's trust account is frozen. Several invoices submitted by the contractors over the past year have gone unpaid. It is necessary for this work to be carried out as part of the Treaty Land Entitlement Agreement of the Salt River First Nation # 195 ("TLE").

[2]                 A subsequent order issued by Rouleau J. on January 21, 2003 permitted payments out of the Band's account on consent of counsel for the parties. The applicants did not consent to the payment of the surveyor's invoices on the grounds that the surveying contract was with a numbered company (1990 NT Ltd.) rather than with the Band. The respondents argued that this company is wholly-owned and capitalized by the Band and, therefore, that the Band would suffer no prejudice through payment of the contract monies. Should there be a basis for recovering these monies against the company, separate proceedings can be initiated for that purpose.

[3]                 It is clear that there is an urgency requiring immediate payment of the surveyors. Otherwise, important work towards resolution of the Treaty Land Entitlement will cease. That work is for the benefit of the Band as a whole and should be carried out notwithstanding the ongoing dispute in relation to the Band's leadership. Accordingly, it is ordered that the Bank of Montreal at Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories honour cheques issued in satisfaction of the invoices submitted to date, as well as those submitted regularly in future in relation to the same contract. Those Band members who are being trained by the surveying firm shall also be remunerated accordingly.

                                                                            ORDER

THIS COURT HEREBY ORDERS that the respondents be permitted to pay outstanding and forthcoming accounts in respect of the surveying contract that relates to the Treaty Land Entitlement Agreement ("TLE") of June 2002 from the Band account to:

(a)                  Ollerhead & Associates Ltd., Canada Lands Surveyors and Engineers,

(b)                 Harrington Industries who supply the survey equipment,

(c)                  Band members being trained by Ollerhead and Associates.

                                                                                                                                     "James W. O'Reilly"        

J.F.C.C.

Ottawa, Ontario

February 25, 2003

                                                    FEDERAL COURT OF CANADA

                                                                 TRIAL DIVISION

                          NAMES OF SOLICITORS AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

DOCKET:                                              T-2007-02

STYLE OF CAUSE:

                                            Melvin Wanderingspirit, Delphine Beaulieu,

                                     Toni Heron, Raymond Beaver and Sonny McDonald

                                       in their capacity as Councillors of the Salt River

                                       First Nation 195, elected August 30, 2002 - and -

                                      Victor Marie uncontested Chief and Norman Starr

                          uncontested duly elected Band Counsel Member, Nora Beaver,

                        David Gowans, Connie Benwell, Michel Bjornson, Harvey Lepine,

                          and Don Tourangeau, purportedly elected Band Councillors at a

                               meeting held November 3, 2002, and Jeannie Marie-Jewell,

                                                       acting as Interim Band Manager

PLACE OF HEARING:                      Ottawa, Ontario

DATE OF HEARING:                        February 24, 2003

REASONS FOR ORDER OF:          The Honourable Mr. Justice O'Reilly

DATED:                                                 February 25, 2003

APPEARANCES:

Christopher Harvey, Q.C.                                                                           FOR THE APPLICANTS

Ian Blackstock

Robert Philp, Q.C.                                                                                      FOR THE RESPONDENTS

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

Christopher Harvey, Q.C.

Ian Blackstock

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin

Suite 2100, 1075 Georgia Street West

Vancouver BC V6E 3G2

Tel:(604) 631-3131

Fax:(604) 631-3232                                                                                    FOR THE APPLICANTS

Robert A. Philp, Q.C.

Philp Law Office

114- 7 St. Anne Street

St. Albert ALTA T8N 2X4

Tel.: (780) 418-2727

Fax: (780) 419-6378                                                                                   FOR THE RESPONDENTS