Sioux Valley Dakota Nation’s former chief, Vince Tacan, has agreed to halt his legal challenge disputing his election loss in November. Tacan had filed a lawsuit in Winnipeg’s Court of King’s Bench seeking to nullify Jennifer Bone’s election as chief, citing concerns over compromised vote counting in the First Nation community in southwestern Manitoba.
After appearing in court on Monday for a scheduled hearing, Tacan was presented with a resolution and decided to step back, recognizing Bone as the legitimate winner. Tacan expressed his acceptance, stating that it positions him better to move forward, acknowledging the lack of support he had in the election.
The challenge was initiated on November 27, two weeks following the election night. Vote counting was disrupted that night when the electoral officer left, citing feeling threatened, and the process was interrupted by community members. Counting resumed the next day with a new electoral officer appointed by elders and was streamed live on Sioux Valley’s YouTube channel.
Jennifer Bone emerged as the victor in the chief election, securing 371 votes compared to Tacan’s 212, as announced on the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation governance site. Additionally, Jon Bell, Darryl Hapa, Melissa Hotain, Billy McKay, and Randall Wasicuna were elected to the council.
As part of the agreement reached on Monday, the electoral officer will complete the count, and if any tampering or irregularities are discovered, a new election for council members only may be held. Tacan had raised concerns about the election’s failure to include all eligible voters in the community.
In response to a request for an interview, Bone mentioned that a joint press release is in the works. Leading up to the election, Tacan faced legal issues after being arrested and charged with a historical sexual assault related to an incident in 1984 in a western Manitoba community. Tacan refuted the allegations, attributing them to political motives.
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