Liard First Nation council members accuse chief of trying to use band funds to pay for family members legal fees

The deputy chief of Liard First Nation and four of its councillors are accusing their chief of trying to use band money to pay for his sister’s partner’s legal fees. The allegations are contained in a notice posted on social media by Deputy Chief Harlan Schilling and four other councillors about Chief Stephen Charlie. It alleges that Charlie used a band council resolution to hire a lawyer to defend a charge of wasting meat against Perry Wolftail. Schilling told APTN News that Wolftail is in a relationship with councillor Susan Magun, who is also Charlie’s sister. According to a ticket filed with the territorial court, Wolftail was charged for wasting meat under the territory’s Wildlife Act. He was served with a $115 ticket in February. A resolution shared with APTN that was passed by Charlie, Magun and councillor Ed Brodhagen on March 17, approved hiring a lawyer to defend Wolftail. “(Liard First Nation) wishes to enter into a joint container agreement… to represent Mr. Wolftail in defending the charge,” the resolution states. The resolution also authorized Charlie and Wolftail to instruct legal council regarding the defence of the charge. But the council members said in a joint statement that the resolution is a conflict of interest and an inappropriate use of the Nation’s resources. “The fact that the chief is trying to use government funds to get his brother-in-law out of trouble… is very concerning,” Schilling said. Schilling said he and the other councillors decided to share the band council resolution publicly in order to inform membership. Schilling said no other council members were informed of the March 17 meeting until after it took place and the resolution had been signed. He also noted that the resolution’s quorum of three was invalid. He said proper quorum requires approval from two members of the Daylu Dena Council, a sub-council of Liard based 23 kilometres south in Lower Post in northern British Columbia. Schilling said Charlie ultimately dropped the resolution. The fine was paid the following day on March 18, according to a stamp on the ticket. “In response to these ongoing concerns, we will be seeking guidance from the LFN Elders Council to determine a path forward in addressing these governance issues and restoring accountability within leadership,” the council members said in the joint statement. “We remain committed to serving our membership with integrity and will continue to advocate for good governance that is transparent, fair, and reflective of the best interests our Nation.” Schilling also accused Charlie of refusing to hold council meetings, something, he said, has created additional difficulties for the First Nation. Charlie, who has spoken to APTN in the past, declined to comment for this story. APTN also contacted Magun but did not hear back. Schilling told APTN last week that a meeting would be held on Monday to address the resolution. Last fall, the same council members said they lost confidence in his leadership. In December, roughly 110 band members attended a community vote to remove him from his position. Continue Reading