Indigenous leaders in Fort Chipewyan, Alta., are accusing Elections Alberta of being poorly prepared to run advance voting polls in the isolated northern hamlet for this month’s provincial referendum.

At a virtual news conference on Friday, First Nations and Métis leaders in the region said people who arrived at the community’s municipal office to vote early on Thursday morning instead found the doors locked. Elections Alberta told CBC News there were not enough staff available to run the voting station that morning.

The regional Indigenous leaders who spoke said some voters who were left unable to cast their ballots on Thursday had already made travel arrangements for work and medical appointments. Fort Chipewyan is more than 230 kilometres north of Fort McMurray. It can be reached only by boats, planes or by driving on a seasonal winter road.

“This referendum is everything to us,” said Mikisew Cree First Nation Chief Melody Lepine. “Our treaty, our relationship with the Crown, we are defending with everything that we have.

“We’re completely appalled by what happened yesterday when [members] were turned away after we’ve been extending so much resources and support for them to go and vote.”Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam said local leaders were told Wednesday evening that Thursday’s advance polls would be cancelled. Advance voting for Friday was cancelled as well. Early voting will still go ahead on Saturday, which is the last day Albertans can vote early in the referendum. Referendum day is on Monday. Adam said he only learned on Thursday that early voting would not resume until Saturday.

Ruby Ladouceur, president of the Fort Chipewyan Métis Nation, said the information about early voting being suspended until Saturday was provided to her membership by Adam and not Elections Alberta.

“Notify us directly,” she said. “Notify us early. Work with us so our citizens are informed and able to vote.”Ladouceur said she believes what happened sends “a clear message that Indigenous people can be informed last, included later or considered secondary. I reject these kinds of notions.”'This was unfortunate' A statement from Elections Alberta to CBC News acknowledged the disruption. The agency said there were not enough staff at the polling station, and the staff who were available were not yet trained to process identification requirements.

Elections Alberta said the reason advance voting was suspended until Saturday was so the returning officer could spend Friday training local workers. Voting hours for referendum day on Monday remain unchanged.

“This was unfortunate, however, without training, the elector experience would have caused confusion and led to many questions on how to receive identification and mark electors from the voting record,” the statement said, noting that working with Indigenous communities to facilitate voting is a “priority.”Grand Chief has 'serious concerns' Treaty 8 First Nations Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi said the confusion highlights the logistical challenges many isolated Indigenous and rural communities can face around election time.

Out of 24 Treaty 8 First Nations in Alberta, Mercredi said only five have advance polling locations. He attended Friday’s virtual news conference from the side of a rural road, saying he was spending seven hours driving so he could cast his ballot early.

“What happened in Fort Chip raises serious concerns across Treaty 8 territory,” said Mercredi. “We understand the importance of making sure that our people see what’s on the table, and making sure that they’re protecting themselves and protecting our people.”Adam said the early voting problem had never happened during any previous federal, provincial, municipal or First Nation election in his area.

“This is Alberta. You call for a referendum and yet you cannot deliver to host a referendum in our community,” said Adam.