As you will recall, on January 10, 2024, Councillor Iron Shirt filed legal proceedings in the Federal Court against all members of Council, except Councillor Dimples Stump, and also named 28 other parties. In his Notice of Application, Councillor Iron Shirt asked the Federal Court to review the suspension decision made by Council. He also asked the Court for the following:

• An order removing the Chief and all Councillors (except Councillors Iron Shirt and Stump) from office
• An order requiring Council to vacate its office premises and to deliver the keys and all equipment, records, banking and other codes to Councillor Iron Shirt so that he can administer the affairs of Piikani Nation
• An order requiring Piikani Nation to pay for Councillor Iron Shirt’s legal fees for the proceedings he initiated against Council and others
• An order requiring Piikani Nation to hold a by-election to fill the positions of Chief and all Councillors (except Councillors Iron Shirt and Stump)
• An independent forensic audit

This is not a complete list of all of the relief that Councillor Iron Shirt sought from the Federal Court.

On January 26, 2024, Councillor Iron Shirt was ordered by the case management judge to serve and file written submissions to show why his Notice of Application should not be removed from the Court file. Councillor Iron Shirt failed to abide by the Court’s order and did not provide any submissions.

On March 13, 2024, the case management judge issued an order removing Councillor Iron Shirt’s judicial review application from the Court record.

As part of the reasons, the case management judge stated the following:

• Councillor Iron Shirt’s Application is inherently frivolous and vexatious.
• Councillor Iron Shirt makes scandalous allegations against a large number of individuals and entities without pleading any underlying foundation for the allegations.
• Many of the allegations against certain Respondents cast a derogatory light on those persons’ character.
• The Notice of Application constitutes an abuse of process, as it is an ill-disguised attempt to re-litigate matters that have already been repeatedly litigated in this Court, including judicial review applications filed by:
  • Liliana Kostic (T-713-22)
  • Dianna North Peigan (T-1850-21)
  • Rod North Peigan, Dianna North Peigan Willard Yellow Face, Rick Yellow Horn, Terry North Peigan, Lynol Smith and Kalvin Bastien (T-267-23)
  • Ferlin Crow Shoe (T-319-23)
  • Terry Joe Small Legs (T-320-23)
  • Brian Jackson (T-1038-23)

• Councillor Iron Shirt has no standing to represent anyone other than himself. He is not a lawyer and cannot purport to act on behalf of the members of Piikani Nation.

All of the actions noted above by Ms. Kostic and others have been decided in favour of Piikani Nation and Council (as well as the other parties named in those proceedings).

As we have noted time and again, the cost to Piikani Nation goes beyond the money we have to spend on our own legal counsel. It also includes, directly or indirectly, the cost of counsel for PRDL, PIC, the 2023 Election Appeals Board and CIBC Trust (as Trustee of the Piikani Trust). All of this takes away resources that belong to Piikani members.

Questions regarding this matter may be directed to Corbin Provost, Chief Operations Officer, at corbin.provost@piikanination.com or (403) 965-3940.