Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller is encouraging Indigenous communities gearing up for elections this year to postpone their votes.
Miller says holding an election during a pandemic poses public health risks, as Canadians are being asked to distance themselves from each other and avoid large groups wherever possible.
A number of First Nations and Metis nations have elections scheduled in 2020. Miller says the federal government does not recommend going ahead with any elections at this time, out of concern for community members’ well-being. [ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ] But Ottawa does not have the authority to extend the terms for any chiefs and councillors who are currently in office, so