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Bedonahkwaad
Boozhoo Anishinaabeg’- Anishinaabe’Ojibwe MCT Members, Mayagi-
Anishinaabeg’
Construed: what did the Anishinaabe’Ojibwe understand in 1963 when the IRA MCT
Constitution was revised.
They understood: the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (MCT) was/is a creation of
the Indian Reorganization Act (48 Stat. 984). (IRA)
They understood: the 1937 Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Corporate Charter
“is hereby charted as a body politic and corporate of the United States of
America under the corporate name Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.”
They Understood: The IRA MCT - was/is exercising quasi-authority granted
through the IRA MCT Constitution.
They Understood: allotments created heir-ship and treaty lands across
Wisconsin and Minnesota territories: MCT Lands are held in common for
Anishinaabe’Ojibwe MCT members.
They Understood: in IRA elections those elected in to the MCT revised
Constitutions Article V positions would . .. “Solemnly swear (or affirm) that I
Shall preserve, support and protect the Constitution of the United States and the
Constitution of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, and execute my duties as a
member of the Tribal Executive Committee to the best of my ability, so help me
God." & Article VI. Position(s) would say a similar oath ... “do hereby
swear (or affirm) that I will support, honor and respect the Constitution of the


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Bedonahkwaad
United States and the Revised Constitution and Bylaws of the Minnesota
Chippewa Tribe, and will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of my
office to the best of my judgment and ability, so help me God."
e
They Understood: the IRA MCT Revised Constitution would have 15
Articles and Tribal Executive Committee (TEC) would have Bylaws with an
added 6 Articles.
e
They Understood: THE REVISED IRA MCT Constitution created Article
V., powers of the TEC and their roles and responsibility of those positions.
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They Understood: The REVISED IRA MCT Constitution created Article VI.
Powers of each Reservation Business Committees roles and responsibilities of
those positions.
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They Understood: there was no need for POLICE or JUDICIAL POWERS
articulated in any of the enumerated MCT Constitution’s Articles.
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They Understood: any changes, amendments, creations of new articles could
be achieved through the IRA MCT Constitutions’ Article XII - Amendment
Process that requires (Article XIII) Rights of Members = informed
participation and/or “Due Process of Law” Consent.
IRA MCT Constitution Article XII Process was utilized in the 1971-1972 and
The
2005-2006 Secretarial Election Process for IRA MCT Constitution Amendments 1-4.
The
IRA MCT TEC knows and understands how to change or amend the IRA MCT
Constitution via Article XII’s Amendment Process — requires the
Anishinaabe Ojibwe Informed and Participation and consent. However: there has


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Bedonahkwaad
been a usurping or bypassing the Article XII & XIII processes by creating IRA
MCT-TEC Interpretations.
Daga-Please, remember: in the 15 Articles of the IRA MCT Constitution along with
the TEC Bylaws there is no Article, for “INTERPRETATION POWERS” or MCT
enumerated Authority for the TEC to be the sole interpreter of the constitution.
However, the MCT Constitution Article XII Amendment process provides for
“interpretation” and amendments through the informed participation and consent of
the Members.
Nor is there any reasonable enforcement mechanism — when the IRA MCT
Constitution Article XII Amendment process and Article XIII — Rights of Members
is not used or followed.
In 2017 - Anishinaabe’Ojibwe Members of the MCT — will understand the above-
mentioned reasons on why we are meeting here today for the MCT Constitution
Convention.
—
Dale Coreen