Alberta county doing damage control with Indigenous neighbours after councillor blasts First Nation

On the shores of Lac La Biche, northeast of Edmonton, a county council meeting went off the rails last week. The cleanup is still ongoing.

Lac La Biche Ward 1 Coun. Darlene Beniuk made comments about a neighbouring First Nation that drew immediate condemnation from fellow council members.

Beniuk was upset about Beaver Lake Cree Nation requesting help to fix a road to the tune of $36,000.

“Beaver Lake Cree Nation does not pay taxes; they have never given as much as a plug nickel to anything this county has done,” Beniuk said.

Those comments were repudiated by other Lac La Biche councillors.

“Our Indigenous communities around us pump millions of dollars into this community,” said Coun. Kevin Paré. “So to say they do nothing is ludicrous at best. Being a good neighbour, that’s what this is about, is being a good neighbour.

“They do help us economically, they do help us when there’s a fire,” added Coun. John Mondal.

Council held a special meeting on Tuesday to demand an apology from Beniuk.

A joint letter – also signed by Beniuk – said her comments were unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

This is not the first time Beniuk has stirred controversy in Lac La Biche.

Local news reports say she was recently charged with uttering threats, and has since been removed from council committees.

Lac La Biche County now plans to write a letter to the province to “express concerns with the removal of the council code of conduct provisions from the Municipal Government Act” and to request Alberta hurry up with a plan to create a municipal ethics commissioner.

Under the Municipal Government Act, a councillor is disqualified for two reasons: if they are convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment of five or more years; or if they are absent from all regular council meetings held during any period of 60 consecutive days.

“Councillors are accountable to the people they represent for their political positions, not other members of council,” Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams told CityNews.

The council voted last week to ask the First Nation to reimburse them for the road repairs.

The mayor declined an interview with CityNews Wednesday, and Coun. Beniuk did not immediately respond to CityNews’ messages.

On the county’s Facebook page, there are now calls for Beniuk to resign and for voters to elect someone else.

Like the rest of Alberta, Lac La Biche will hold a municipal vote on Oct. 20.

“If residents are unhappy with their council members, they can make themselves heard when they head to the polls during the election this October,” Minister Williams said.

Coun. Beniuk was not on the list of registered candidates as of Wednesday.