Petition to halt last month's Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation election still before the court

Erin Linklater's reply came earlier this month after the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation election. Linklater disagrees with much of the First Nations defense against her petition to stop the election. She says citizens like her have no other option but the court to seek transparency, and the petition was her last resort. VGFN says the outgoing council was within its rights to reschedule its General Assembly to expedite this year's election. VGFN issued its legal response the day after the election. It says Linklater's petition was hypothetical, an attack on the First Nations' decisions, and moot due to the election going ahead. In her initial filing, Linklater argued the then chief and council passed legislation And its new election law, contrary to VGFN's constitution, She also says the Constitution requires the First Nation to hold a General Assembly in August, before the election. In a statement issued soon afterwards, VGFN called the petition a, quote, distraction and its focus is the community of Old Crow during what it called a, quote, difficult and challenging time. Lance Nigwan was elected chief and has a new slate of councillors alongside him. No date is scheduled for the case to be heard. TJ Deer, CBC News, Whitehorse.