Citizens have voted in mostly new leaders
Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation citizens have elected a new chief and council.
Most are new to elected leadership.
That includes Chief Lance Nagwan. Previously the fish and wildlife manager, he succeeds Pauline Frost, who didn’t seek re-election as chief of the First Nation based in Old Crow, Yukon.
Citizens also voted in four new councillors.
At least one — Brandon Kyikavichik — has previous experience as a councillor. The other people on council are Lisa Van Fleet, Ciara Kakfwi-Frost and Ryan Newman-Kay.
The election went ahead as planned despite one citizen, Erin Linklater, filing a petition to the Yukon Supreme Court to postpone it. Linklater alleges that the passage of certain legislation — including amendments to its governance act and a new election law passed this year — violate the First Nation’s constitution and governance act.
Vuntut Gwitchin called Linklater’s court petition a distraction and that it would defend decisions made by elected leaders.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Gwich’in Tribal Council says no audited financials available as general assembly set to begin, CBC News
Finland: Sámi Parliament warns Lapland service cuts would hit Sámi communities hard, Eye on the Arctic
