Stalled negotiations on the development of Kapyong Barracks could be back on track after the return of Glenn Hudson as chief of Peguis First Nation.

Hudson won the election to become chief over the weekend, defeating incumbent Chief Cindy Spence, who ousted Hudson in 2015.

After Spence’s election, Hudson said she no longer wanted to negotiate with the six other Treaty 1 First Nations and the federal government over the development of the land, which has been empty since 2004.

“I guess the former chief didn’t agree with working with the other six First Nations, and that’s where we ended up having a stalled process.”

Hudson told CTV News he’s grateful to the people of Peguis for once again electing him as chief.

“They listened and they made the decision that they want to go forward rather than sitting stagnant,” he said.

The other Treaty 1 chiefs have already begun reaching out to Hudson to say they look forward to resuming negotiations.

“I know for a fact that Treaty 1, we are going to get together within the next couple of weeks and look at pursuing and going into negotiation once again,” he said.

He couldn’t say when negotiations with the federal government might resume.

The bands want to develop the land along Kenaston Boulevard as a mix of residential, business and green space.

After the federal government declared the land surplus, it attempted to sell it to a Crown corporation. At the time, Hudson said the Treaty 1 chiefs made the decision to negotiate for the land as a collective and took the federal government to court to block the move.

The case has been caught up in the courts ever since.

Hudson said other priorities for his band council include negotiating the purchase of Assiniboia Downs, building a personal care home on the reserve, and dealing with the damage caused by flooding in the community.

Hudson was elected chief with 1139 votes. Spence got 855, and Albert Sutherland got 414. Annette Spence-Meeches, Wade Sutherland, Glennis Sutherland, and Mary Tyler Bear were elected councillors.