Gwichya Gwich'in Council says it's suing Gwich'in Tribal Council for suspending funding

Disagreements between the Gwichya Gwich'in Councilof Tsiigehtchic and the Gwich'in Tribal Council (GTC) haveled to another N.W.T. Supreme Court filing, this time with theGwichya Gwich'insuing the GTC.

The dispute between the two parties has been ongoing for several years. InNovember 2022, the GTC suspended the Gwichya Gwich'in's core funding.

The Gwichya Gwich'in claims in itslawsuitthat withholding that money is unlawful, according to a news release.

"There is no provision in the GTC's or the Settlement Corporation's by-laws that permits the GTC to currently withhold funding from the GGC,"the release said.

The Gwichya Gwich'insaid it is operating at a deficit due to the funding lapse and that it may be forced to shut down or pause operations until it gets its funding back.

"This jeopardizes its members' rights and harms the Gwichya Gwich'in community," the release said.

The Gwichya Gwich'in also claimsthat the GTC interfered with the rights of its members by contesting itselections and dismissing its president in 2023 for having allegedly violated the code of conduct.

They also claimthat the GTC has wrongfully assumed several administrative rights. Specifically, they allegethe GTC has wrongfully appointed Gwichya Gwich'in representatives on the GTC Board of Directors and has wrongfully represented the Gwichya Gwich'in rights-holders before territorial and federal governments.

Preventing the Gwichya Gwich'in "from participating in government negotiations has meant that the GGC and its members are unable to properly negotiate self-governance, in breach of the Land Claim Agreement and the GGC's inherent right to self-government," the release. said.

Mavis Clark, the Gwichya Gwich'inCouncilpresident who was voted out of office, said in the releasethat the GTC needs to resume their funding.

"The GTC's conduct has handcuffed the GGC's ability to perform its mandate. At a minimum, the GTC should release the GGC's funding and allow it to be represented during self-governance negotiations," she said.

The GTC declined an interview request from CBC, saying its legal counsel is reviewing the lawsuit.

The suitcomes seven months after the GTC's lawsuit against the Gwichya Gwich'inwas heard in the territory's Supreme Court.

Thatcase focused on the Gwichya Gwich'in'selections, and a request to overturn them. The GTC said in court that Gwichya Gwich'inleaders failed to run their last election properly and have not been doing required reports on their spending.