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FORT CHIPEWYAN — Four members of the Mikisew Cree First Nation are seeking a judicial review of a decision dismissing appeals related to the Nation’s 2026 election.
Mikisew Cree First Nation says eight members appealed the election results on various grounds following the vote.
The Nation says all eight appeals were dismissed by its Appeal Committee on July 16, with written reasons provided Sept. 15.
Mikisew says it has now received an application for judicial review involving the committee’s decision.
The application was filed by four of the unsuccessful appellants and asks the court to set aside the Appeal Committee’s decision and order a new hearing of the election appeals.
The Nation says the issues raised in the application relate primarily to procedural decisions made by the committee, which the applicants allege were unfair or contrary to Mikisew customs.
Those claims have not been tested in court.
Mikisew says a judicial review is not another appeal of the election itself. Instead, it asks a court to review whether the tribunal’s decision-making process was procedurally fair, reasonable or lawful.
If the application succeeds, the Nation says the usual remedy would be a new hearing before the Appeal Committee rather than a new election.
Under Mikisew’s customary election regulations, the Appeal Committee operates independently from chief and council.
The Nation says chief and council were not involved in the procedural decisions now being challenged and the Appeal Committee had its own legal counsel for the appeal process.
Mikisew says its legal counsel has advised a judicial review of this kind can take up to a year before the court reaches a decision.
Chief and council will continue carrying out their duties while the court process proceeds.
MCFN letter to memebers
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