Liard First Nation: Federal government tries to spur elections

The federal government is trying to "stress the importance of an election process getting underway" in Yukon'sLiard First Nation.

So far, federal officialshaven't been able to meet with the Chief Daniel Morris, orwhat remains of council. At least three members of theFirst Nation's four-person council have quit during Morris' term.

• Liard First Nation members clash over election

The remainingleadership'sterm ends on Dec. 16,but there is no indication that the First Nation ispreparingfor an election.Leaders have not held required meetings toset up an election committee, or named a returning officer as required by the First Nation's custom election code.

Until that happens, no candidate can register to run, and no work can be done to update the voters' list.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) spokesperson Kim-Mia Pronovost says the department has been trying to remind chief and council to follow election rules, but sofar it'sonly talked to a representative.

"The Department has been in contact with Liard First Nation Chief and Council, the elected leadership in the community, through a representative, to stress the importance of an election process getting underway as soon as possible," Pronovost wrote to CBC.

The representative is not named in INAC's correspondence, and it does not provide details ofwhy the First Nations leaders cannotbe reached directly.

INACin Yukon declined CBC'srequests for interviews, and providedwritten statements byemail, instead.

Chief offers no comment

Only Liard First NationcouncillorRoy Dickhas not declared to have stepped down, whereasDon Magun,Timothy Stewart andCindy Porter have all resigned.

Porter, when contacted by CBC for comment on this story, told CBC on Wednesday that shehad quit as well.

"I'm not a part of it anymore," she shouted, before hanging up.

Chief DanielMorris andcouncillorRoy Dickcould not be reached for comment.

Last month,a group of citizens attempted to create their own election committee.

About 80 people invited chief Morris and councillors to a public meeting, which wasoverseenbyAboriginalgovernanceconsultant Neil Sterritt from B.C., who was hired to be a neutral observer.

When chief and council did not attend, the assembled members voted for a six-member election committee to start an election.

INAC says it does not recognize thisgroup as legitimate.

"The Department has met with and heard the concerns of the citizens involved. However, the Department has no role to play in decisions pertaining to the Liard First Nation election because it is governed by the First Nation's custom election code," Pronovost wrote to CBC.

The citizens' electoral group, chaired byDeannaStewart, has declined comment.

Controversy over finances, lack of audits

Elections aren't the only controversial issue within the Liard First Nation.

The Liard First Nation's last financial report to INAC was for the 2013-2014 year. Auditors from BDO decried a lack of documentationandsaid they couldn't vouch for the accuracy of numbers.

The First Nation's 2013-2014 report lists more than $800,000 eachyear for Chief and Council's expensesand more than $2 million yearly in administration costs, to serve a population of just over 1,000 people.

The Liard First Nationhas also failed to abide by the federal First Nations' financial Transparency Act by publishing the salaries of Chief and Council.

TheFirst Nation is currently under third-party management after falling into debt. While this status prevents the First Nation from handling federal money delivered through Health Canada or INAC, it does not change its responsibility to hold an election.

The departmenthas not stated what its next action will be if elections do not happen as scheduled.