Former Sioux Valley Dakota Nation chief Vince Tacan withdraws his court challenge over the November election in Winnipeg, acknowledging Jennifer Bone as the winner after initial vote-counting disputes
Former Chief Ends Court Challenge Over Election Loss
The former chief of Sioux Valley Dakota Nation has agreed to stop a court challenge regarding his election loss in November.
Vince Tacan filed legal action in Winnipeg’s Court of King’s Bench. He asked the court to invalidate the election of Jennifer Bone as chief. Tacan argued that vote counting in the southwestern Manitoba First Nation was compromised.
“The only reason I commenced the action is that I didn’t agree with how everything went,” Tacan told CBC on Tuesday.
Details of the Court Hearing
Tacan was in court on Monday, expecting to speak. However, the hearing was adjourned, and he was presented with what he described as a deal. Tacan agreed to step back and acknowledge Bone as the winner.
“You know, there’s an old saying — ‘acceptance puts you in a better position to carry on,’” Tacan said. “The numbers bear that out. I didn’t have the support.”
Election Background
Tacan filed his challenge on November 27, two weeks after election night. Vote counting was paused that night when the electoral officer walked out, saying he felt threatened. Counting was interrupted by community members.
Counting resumed the following day, streamed live on Sioux Valley’s YouTube channel, after elders appointed a replacement electoral officer.
When the count was complete, Jennifer Bone was declared the winner. According to a statement on the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation governance site, Bone won 371 votes to Tacan’s 212.
Election Results
| Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|
| Jennifer Bone | 371 |
| Vince Tacan | 212 |
Jon Bell, Darryl Hapa, Melissa Hotain, Billy McKay, and Randall Wasicuna were elected to council.
As part of Monday’s agreement, Tacan said the electoral officer will be allowed to finish his count. If there is evidence of tampering or irregularities with any ballots, a new election for council members only could occur.
Tacan claimed that the election did not account for all eligible voters in the southwestern Manitoba community.
Response from Jennifer Bone
On Tuesday, CBC requested an interview with Bone. She sent a text message stating that a joint press release is “forthcoming.”
Legal Issues for Vince Tacan
In the weeks leading up to the election, Tacan was arrested and charged on November 5 with a historical sexual assault. This was in connection with a report of an assault that took place in a western Manitoba community in 1984.
The complainant told police that the assault happened when she was a teenager under the age of 16, and that the perpetrator was a 24-year-old man at the time.
Tacan denied the allegations and claimed the case was politically motivated.
