Gwichya Gwich'in Council disputes Gwich'in Tribal Council's delegate selection at AGM

The Gwichya Gwich'in Council is once again calling out the Gwich'in Tribal Council (GTC) for refusing to accept its delegates at the tribal council's annual general assembly.

The GTC's annual general assembly took place in Aklavik on Wednesday and Thursday this week. 

It's the latest in a years-long dispute between the Tsiigehtchic-based Gwichya Gwich'in and the GTC. In November 2022, the GTC suspended the Gwichya Gwich'in's core funding. 

The complaint also comes after the Gwichya Gwich'in announced last month it was suing the tribal council for suspending its funding. 

In a news release Thursday, the Gwichya Gwich'in said they had sent the GTC a notice of the names of their delegates on July 31. 

"And yet the GTC has decided to appoint different people, in violation of its bylaws," reads release.  

"These actions are examples of the type of illegal behaviour from the GTC that forced us to file our court application on June 28, 2024."

Validity of election disputed

CBC received an emailed statement from the GTC through Tony Devlin, its communications adviser. It said the GTC has said through "numerous correspondence" in 2023 and 2024 that its board of directors would be selecting the delegates to represent the Gwichya Gwich'in at the assembly. 

The statement went on to say the GTC believes the Gwichya Gwich'in do not currently have a validly elected board of directors, which means they don't have the authority to appoint delegates. 

"As such, the GTC board of directors is obligated to ensure that Gwichya participants and the community is represented at the annual general assembly," the statement reads. 

It also says because the "validity" of the Gwichya Gwich'in's 2023 election is subject to legal challenge in the N.W.T. Supreme Court, the GTC does not recognize the results of that election. 

The statement says the GTC continues to offer financial support to the Gwichya Gwich'in to run an election. 

Mavis Clark, the Gwichya Gwich'in Council's president, pointed the finger back at the GTC, saying they don't have the power to appoint delegates. 

"They don't have that authority," she said. "They're not following their bylaws."

Clark said she doesn't think the last two assemblies were legal, given the GTC chose their delegates. 

"I would like them to recognize our delegation and that we be allowed to sit at the table and participate," she said. "It's our Gwichya Gwich'in rights."