Push to remove Liard First Nation chief grows after meeting for members
CBC
Grassroots organizers say they're confident most Liard First Nation members will support ousting its chief.
Following a community meeting Tuesday, calls to push out Chief Stephen Charlie appear to be growing.
Members of First Nation gathered at the town's recreation centre in Watson Lake, Yukon, to vote on a non-confidence motion to remove him.
The meeting was organized by Dene Ā́ Nezen, a group which formed in October to address concerns around Charlie's leadership. This month, two of the group's organizers were fired for publicly criticizing the First Nation's governance.
Over 100 members showed up in person and via Zoom to express their concerns on Tuesday. Three out of six councillors were also there, with a fourth expressing support but unable to attend.
Dene Ā́ Nezen leaders have been collecting signatures from members on a petition to remove Charlie for weeks, and efforts to reach the simple majority needed to oust the chief from office are still underway.
Organizers Diana Lee Jimmy and Emeral Poppe said they need roughly 527 signatures — 50 per cent plus one, of the voting membership — to remove Charlie. They currently have 170 signatures. Still, they see Tuesday's vote as a victory.
On Tuesday, Charlie addressed the turmoil within the First Nation publicly for the first time in a letter posted to social media.
"It saddens me to have to write this letter to the membership of Liard First Nation, but I can no longer remain silent as my character, my leadership and even my father are attacked," he wrote. "These individuals are spreading lies that question the motivations behind my leadership."
Charlie also wrote that Tuesday's meeting was not official or sanctioned by the First Nation.
He said the only "recognized mechanism" to remove a chief is through a petition with over 50 per cent of Liard First Nation (LFN) members' signatures.
He also accused CBC of airing "harmful falsehoods" in its radio coverage of Dene Ā́ Nezen. Charlie declined a request for an interview.
"LFN is not under third-party management," Charlie wrote in the letter.
During the meeting, that issue was raised by an LFN member. Even the First Nation's own officials aren't sure.
Halifax’s registry of rental properties is now available to the public online, showing what HRM staff believe are the “bulk” of rentals in the city.
A New Brunswick tenant says he’s being pushed out of his rented bungalow as retribution for complaining about his landlord, but his landlord says she’s the victim of an unfair tenancy tribunal ruling that is preventing her from using the unit to house family.
Snow and freezing rain could affect morning commutes on Tuesday, according to a special weather statement issued by Environment Canada.
Daniel Jolivet, 68, had his first taste of freedom this weekend after spending the last 33 years behind bars.
Peguis First Nation is suing former chief Glenn Hudson over allegations he failed to act in the best interest of the band and financially benefitted from breaches of duty — including claims that he enriched himself, his family and supporters.
The Saskatchewan NDP's pace in 2025 has been frenetic.
If you’re ever walking down this east Hamilton neighbourhood during the holiday season, there’s a festive house that just might grab your attention.
It was just a few months ago that U.S. President Donald Trump told the world he doesn’t want Canadian cars.
Flu cases across Canada are on the rise and may push hospitals to their limits over the holidays and into the new year, leading health officials in regions across the country to warn people not to visit emergency rooms unless it's absolutely necessary.
More than 30 years after Canada's military allowed women to serve in combat roles, it's now specifically designing uniforms and body armour to fit their bodies.
The holiday season has arrived in Thunder Bay, and that means reduced hours, or closures, for businesses, city offices, and other amenities.
As Toronto’s food scene continues to grow, some in the industry say the pool of professional chefs hasn’t kept up with demand.
Police have charged a truck driver from the Hamilton area in a hit-and-run crash that killed a tow truck operator who had been stopped while helping a driver on the side of Highway 401 outside Woodstock, Ont.