Draft Blackfoot Constituion Part IX

["Craven, Jim" <jcraven@xxxxxxxxx>]

Article 52
No person shall be an Advisor who has not attained the age of twenty-one
years old or who has not been a Citizen of the Blackfoot Nation for at least
nine years. Advisors shall advise, consult, brief and confer with the
Principal Chief. Advisors shall have the power to decide or recommend upon
overall government policy, advise on Blackfoot culture and spirituality,
initiate and recommend Executive acts and orders, govern statutes and other
duties as prescribed by the Principal Chief and ratified by two-thirds of
the Advisors.

Article 53
Upon accepting office, Advisors, the Principal Chief, the Representatives,
Ambassadors, Cabinet Officers and all members of the Government of the
Blackfoot Nation will: swear an oath or make an affirmation and promise that
they have not done anything that may legally bar them from office; swear
allegiance to uphold and protect the Blackfoot Constitution and the survival
and prosperity of the Blackfoot Nation; affirm or swear that they hold no
loyalties or beliefs that would or could reasonably be seen to compromise or
disparage or threaten the culture, traditions, survival or prosperity of the
Blackfoot Nation and People.

Article 54
The Representatives of the Blackfoot Nation, elected from the principal
Bands and Disapora of the Blackfoot Nation (if resident/willing to reside on
Blackfoot lands), shall represent the entire Blackfoot Nation and People
without fear of or favor to any particular individuals or interest groups.

Article 55
The Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every sixth year by
the Blackfoot People and citizens of the Blackfoot Nation at least eighteen
years old through free, fair and open elections that may be challenged for
cause. No person shall be a Representative who has not attained the age of
twenty-one years old and has not been a citizen of the Blackfoot Nation for
at least five years.

Article 56
Membership of the Representatives shall be elected through proportional
representation based on a Census, to be conducted every 10 years, of the
population of the Bands and Diaspora of the Blackfoot Nation with principles
of proportional representation to be in accordance with principles and acts
to be developed by the responsible authorities of the Blackfoot Nation and
ratified through referenda by the voting-age population of the Blackfoot
Nation.

Article 57
The following persons shall not be entitled to vote until their right to
vote has been restored by order of the Principal Chief: a) any voting-age
citizen found guilty of serious crimes against the Blackfoot Nation to be
defined by acts of the competent authorities of the Blackfoot Nation; b) any
person legally deemed to be mentally incompetent; c) any person legally
found to hold and act upon loyalties fundamentally inconsistent with
Blackfoot citizenship, the Blackfoot Constitution and/or the survival and
prosperity of the Blackfoot Nation.

Article 58
No person may be a member of the Representatives and simultaneously hold
other offices or positions of the Government of the Blackfoot Nation.

Article 59
Upon convening, the Representatives shall, by majority vote, elect a Leader
who shall serve until new elections, removal by the Principal Chief with
concurrence two-thirds of the Council of Advisors and/or impeachment for
cause.

Article 60
All deliberations of the Representatives shall be open to scrutiny by the
public of the Blackfoot Nation unless the Principal Chief and Advisors deem
that they be held in camera for cause consistent with the Blackfoot
Constitution. All votes shall be recorded with roll call if requested by one
member. Votes in camera may occur only with the authorization of the
Principal Chief and Advisors for cause consistent with the Constitution. All
decisions or proposals for laws and acts will be decided on the basis of a
good-faith attempt at consensus failing which a two-thirds majority of all
Representatives is required to pass laws for consideration by the Principal
Chief and Advisors.

Article 61
Rules of procedure by the Representatives are to be drafted by the
Representatives themselves in consultation with and with the approval of the
Principal Chief and Advisors.

Article 62
No law, statute, act, order, or bill may come into effect without two-thirds
majority vote by the Advisors and Representatives (after a good-faith
attempt at consensus) and without final ratification by the Principal Chief.

Article 63
No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed, the right of
Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended unless national security may require
it, and no monies shall be drawn from the Treasury of the Blackfoot Nation
except in consequence of Appropriations made by law and ratified by the
Principal Chief and Advisors and Statements and Accounts of all Receipts and
Expenditures of all Public Monies shall be published in accordance with acts
to be determined by the Principal Chief, Advisors and Representatives.


James Craven
(Blackfoot Name: "Omahkohkiaayo-i'poyi-inaa")
Professor/Consultant Economics; Division (Business) Chairman;
Clark College, 1800 E. McLoughlin Blvd.
Vancouver, WA. 98663
(360) 992-2283; Fax: (360) 992-2863
blkfoot5@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~blkfoot5
*My Employer Has No Association With My Private/Protected
Opinion*



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