Chief re-elected despite guilty plea to fraud.

Despite pleading guilty to charges of fraud, Poundmaker Cree members returned Duane Antoine as Chief in the May 18 election. Two others running for council also pled guilty to fraud charges. Colin Favel retained his seat on the four-member council while Councillor Bryan Tootoosis was defeated. The three men were among nine members, either present or past councillors or band trustees, to originally face 47 charges of theft, fraud and breach of trust relating to misspending of Treaty Land Entitlement funds back in 2004. Antoine, Favel and Tootoosis were each charged with two counts of theft over $5,000, two counts of fraud over $5,000, two counts of breach of trust by a public official, and one count of criminal breach of trust. They pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Sentencing has yet to occur.