IRC directors vote to keep Erwin Elias as chair following investigation

The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation says Erwin Elias will remain its chair after coming through a Thursday vote on his future.

Forty-two directors representing the IRC and its six community corporations met over the past two days to consider allegations against Elias that have not been made public, but which were the subject of an investigation earlier this year.

“Following a comprehensive process and careful consideration of the information before them, the directors voted for Erwin Elias to continue serving as chair, and affirmed their confidence in his leadership as IRC moves forward,” the IRC stated on Thursday.

The IRC said a national law firm and independent investigator had looked into the allegations.

“The report concluded that there had been no breach of IRC’s bylaws” and no policies had been violated, the IRC stated.

“We have gone through a thorough process, we have heard the information before us, and the directors have made their decision,” vice chair Jordan McLeod was quoted as saying.

“It is now important that we come together as an organization and focus our energy on the important work ahead for Inuvialuit.”