Greg Sarazin voted new chief of Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation

Greg Sarazinhas beenelected chief of theAlgonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation for a three-year term, promising to menddivisions in the communityand to listen to the concerns of thoseboth on- and off-reserve.

The election held Saturday sawa very close racewith Sarazintaking 245 votes. He defeated outgoing chief WendyJocko,who received232 votes, and long-time councillor Jim Meness, whocamethird with230 votes.

Pikwakanagan, which is located 147kilometres west of Ottawa on Golden Lake, saw723 of 2,099 eligible voters cast ballots. Despite the close race, there won't be a recount as the band's election rules stipulate a defeated candidate must request one within 24 hours and musthave lost by less than 10 votes.

Sarazin, who was born and raised in the community,owns two businesses thereandteaches courses in buildingcanoesfrom birch bark. Hewas chief from 1987 to 1989 and was the chief negotiator for the Algonquin land claim from 1991 to 2001. He also ran for chief inthe2020 election, but lost to Jocko.

Final negotiations for that modern-day treatyremain a key concern for the community. Pikwakanaganis the only federally recognized First Nationof the 10 communities that form the Algonquins of Ontario (AOO) the organization negotiating the land claim. An agreement-in-principle was signed in 2016, buthas not been ratified.

The six elected councillors and chief of Pikwakanaganform not quitehalf of that negotiation team.

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At an all-candidates meeting during theelection, Sarazinsaid he wanted the land claim negotiations to continue,but felt the AOO and Pikwakanagan had differinginterests and thechief and council needed to take direction from the community itself.

Hesaid there had beena lot of strife, and community members had been "silenced" and not able to attend or have a say in community meetings.

Thirteen people ran for the role ofcouncillor, and six wereelected:DonBilodeau,SherryKohoko,Cathy Bernard,VickyTwo-Axe, MervSarazin, and Dale Benoit.

The new council's term of office began Monday.