The Gwich’in Tribal Council said on Wednesday it was rescheduling its annual assembly to an unspecified later date, blaming quorum issues.
A three-day assembly featuring the four Designated Gwich’in Organizations representing Aklavik, Fort McPherson, Inuvik and Tsiigehtchic had been due to begin on Wednesday.
Instead, on Wednesday afternoon, the Gwich’in Tribal Council published a statement declaring the event – being hosted in Fort McPherson – would be rescheduled “as quorum to start the assembly was not reached.”
Multiple attendees reported the issue involved delegations from Aklavik and Inuvik. Reports that some delegates had walked out, or conversely that some representatives were excluded from proceedings, could not be immediately confirmed.
The broader political picture involves the Nihtat Gwich’in Council in Inuvik and Ehdiitat Gwich’in Council in Aklavik, along with the organization’s presidents Kelly McLeod and Michael Greenland, pursuing a legal challenge against Gwich’in Grand Chief Frederick Blake Jr and four other directors of the Gwich’in Tribal Council, or GTC.
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Those councils could not be reached on Wednesday afternoon, and nor could Blake. Richard Nerysoo, a GTC director and vice-president of Fort McPherson’s Tetł’it Gwich’in Council, said when reached by phone he was not immediately available to discuss the matter.
Cabin Radio had been prevented by organizers from viewing the proceedings of a special assembly that took place on Monday and Tuesday. The agenda for the special and annual assemblies was available online.
This year’s annual assembly had already been rearranged. It was previously scheduled for August.
“We recognize the importance of coming together to conduct the business of our organization and to ensure Gwich’in Councils and Gwich’in Participants are informed. A new date and time will be announced,” the Gwich’in Tribal Council stated.
