'No disrespect to His Majesty': Yukon council refuses to take oath to King
CTV
Governance in Yukon's second-largest municipality has been at a standstill since its newly elected mayor and council refused to pledge allegiance to King Charles during their swearing-in ceremony.
Governance in Yukon's second-largest municipality has been at a standstill since its newly elected mayor and council refused to pledge allegiance to King Charles during their swearing-in ceremony.
Stephen Johnson, the mayor-elect of Dawson City, said he and the four-member council refused to take Canada's official oath to the monarch on Nov. 5 because of the Crown's history with Indigenous populations.
He said council hasn't been able to proceed with municipal duties and is eagerly waiting for the territory's Department of Community Services to respond to its request to take an alternative to the Oath of Allegiance.
"We can't do anything legally required of us under the Municipal Act ... so we are sort of, kind of council, and I'm sort of, kind of the mayor," Johnson said.
"It's a bit of a sticky situation."
Johnson said under the Yukon's Municipal Act, elected officials are required to take the Oath of Allegiance and an oath of office.
The Oath of Allegiance requires newly elected councillors to swear or affirm they "will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles III" and his "heirs and successors according to law."
