"Many missing from Six Nations voters list"

OHSWEKEN - More than 300 people may have been left off the voters list for Six Nations because enumerators were told to leave last week.

Perry Barnhart, the electoral officer for Haldimand-Norfolk, said enumerators were unable to reach one entire polling division and had to abandon two others before they were completed.

The reserve has nine polling divisions. No problems were encountered at the neighboring New Credit reserve.

Mr. Barnhart estimates 280 residents are in the division that was missed.

The enumerators were asked to leave by supporters of the traditional Confederacy council, who say the Iroquois are not Canadian citizens and so have no business voting in a Canadian referendum.

The Iroquois follow their own constitution, the Great Law of Peace, which says they must not interfere in the business of other nations, the chiefs say.

Mr. Barnhart said Elections Canada will try to complete the voters list with help from the Department of Indian Affairs and the Six Nations band council.

Many of the enumerators working at Six Nations were native, Mr. Barnhart said.