BAND GETS TOUGH ON DRUG ACTIVITY

REGINA (SNN) -- The Pasqua First Nation leadership recently served
notice that any band members involved in illegal drug activity will
be banished from the reserve.

The chief and council passed a band council resolution in December
instituting a traditional method of sanctioning troublemakers within
the First Nations community -- banishment.

The passage of the resolution comes on the heels of Chief Elaine
Chicoose's warning in September that illegal drug activities on the
reserve would not be tolerated and those involved would be dealt with
harshly by the community.

The warning was in response to an Aug. 21 RCMP drug bust on the
Pasqua First Nation.

Drug enforcement officers who uncovered a marijuana grow operation on
the reserve seized 7,592 marijuana plants with a street value of
about $7.5 million and charged six men, ranging in age from 18 to 57,
with a number of drug offences.

The Pasqua band council resolution has been received by Indian
Affairs, but department spokesperson Trevor Sutter said the
banishment resolution may not be enforceable.

A band council resolution "is generally an expression of the will of
a band council," but is not a permanent rule, he said.