Canada's Department of Indian and Northern Affairs won't intervene in an election dispute within the Bearspaw First Nation of Alberta.

The department says the band is following its own election code. "It's an internal matter and we have no jurisdiction or authority over the custom election process," spokesperson Glenn Luff told The Calgary Herald

But former chief Harvey Baptiste says the government should intervene. He says current chief David Bearspaw, who intends to stay in office until December 2012, violated the election code by canceling next month's vote.

The Bearspaw First Nation is part of the Stoney Nakoda First Nations.

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