Wilbert Marshall was re-elected as chief of Potlotek First Nation in Tuesday’s community vote. He was first elected in 2002, removed in 2008 following a criminal conviction, and was able to run again in 2010. He has been re-elected every time since then for a total of seven straight elections. CONTRIBUTED/Potlotek First NationArticle contentPotlotek’s Wilbert Marshall has once again been elected chief of the band council of the Cape Breton First Nation. 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Article contentArticle contentMarshall was re-elected as chief of Potlotek First Nation in Tuesday’s community vote. He was first elected in 2002, removed in 2008 following a criminal conviction, and was able to run again in 2010. He has been re-elected every time since then. Article contentArticle contentWith 438 people casting votes, Marshall won about 46 per cent of the total when 198 people voted for him. The rest of the votes were split among four other candidates, with Wayne Johnson coming in second with 99 votes. The three other people running for top office were Kenny Basque, Noelle Julian and Tahirih Paul. Article contentThirty-one people ran for band council, with eight being elected for the available seats. Of those eight, four were incumbents and four are new to council. Article content Mary Susan Lafford has been involved with residential school survivor events and the Nova Scotia Native Women’s Association of Nova Scotia. She was re-elected to the Potlotek band council for another term on Tuesday. CONTRIBUTED/Potlotek First NationArticle contentThe four re-elected are: Tyrone Bernard; Mary Lee Ann Johnson; Mary Susan Lafford; and Isaiah Bernard. The four new faces on the 2026 council are: Jeremy Basque; Patrick Isaac; Brian Johnson; and Andrew (Jimmy) Marshall (who has been a councillor before). Article content Isaiah Bernard is one of four people re-elected to Potlotek band council on Tuesday. He spent the last four years being heavily involved with community youth and sports. CONTRIBUTEDArticle contentTyrone Bernard received the highest number of votes for council with 200 cast for him. Article content“I am truly grateful and honoured to represent our community for another four years,” Bernard said in a post on social media. “Moving forward, I will always do my very best to make decisions that have a positive impact on us all. I am committed to working as a team player to address and fix the areas that need fixing in our community.” Article contentArticle content Tyrone Bernard emerged after Tuesday’s band council election in Potlotek as the councillor receiving the most votes of the eight people running. CONTRIBUTEDArticle contentThe nine band council members are elected for a term of four years. Article contentCOUNCIL RESPONSIBILITIESArticle contentA Mi’kmaw chief and band council are responsible for the community’s administration, infrastructure, housing, and social programs. They also represent the band’s interests in government negotiations and work collectively to protect treaty and Aboriginal rights. Article contentPotlotek is a community home to Mi’kmaq who have thrived in the region for countless generations. It has been a historic spiritual and governance meeting place for the Mi’kmaq for many hundreds of years. It continues to serve as a key gathering spot for cultural events such as the annual St. Anne’s Mission and known to be a stronghold of Mi’kmaw traditions. Article content Mary Lee Johnson was re-elected Tuesday to retain her seat on the Potlotek band council. CONTRIBUTEDArticle contentLocated 60 kilometres southwest of Sydney, Potlotek sits on the shores of Bras d’Or Lake. Historically known as Miniku (Chapel Island), Potlotek is a place of deep spiritual significance for the Mi’kmaq people. Article contentThe community thrives on economic activities like commercial fishing and tourism, helping to sustain the livelihood of its members. Article contentRosemary Godin is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for the Cape Breton Post, a position funded by the federal government.Article content
Wilbert Marshall re-elected as chief of Potlotek
