The President of Tahltan Central Government (TCG), Chad Norman Day has announced his resignation from his post citing a hostile working environment.
Day, who has served as the TCG president since 2014, notified the board of directors about his decision this morning.
In a March 28 letter addressed to the board, Day confirmed his acceptance of TCG’s decision to repudiate his employment contract, effectively considering himself to have been constructively dismissed.
Day claimed that while the reasons for this were outlined clearly through his legal counsel, they were not addressed by TCG in a timely manner.
Day cited strong disagreements with the direction of the TCG’s Board of Directors and ongoing mistreatment of TCG staff and others as contributing factors to his resignation.
“It saddens me to see that the current state of the TCG no longer reflects these priorities or the integrity and cultural values which initially inspired me to become TCG’s President,” he said in the letter.
“I fear that without more involvement and participation from the Tahltan people, the current erosion of the TCG’s ethical and moral foundation poses a significant threat to our government’s future and many things we hold sacred as a Tahltan Nation.”
In the months leading up to his resignation Day was put on administrative leave after complaints from members. Day said, starting Nov. 2023, there was an “unjust, unlawful” suspension of his duties.
Day did not divulge details of the nature of these complaints. The investigation by TCG is still ongoing.
However, Day told Black Press Media that “pre existing interpersonal conflicts” with current board members, some of whom unsuccessfully contested the elections for his post previously, had resulted in “operational problems and dysfunction” since 2022.
This is also not the first time Day has been suspended from his post. In 2016 Day was suspended pending a complaint investigation. The details of the complaint were never released.
TCG did not comment on the resignation owing to it now being a legal matter.
Interim President of TCG, Heather Hawkins extended gratitude to Day for his service in a March 28 statement.
“His Tireless efforts have been instrumental in shaping a brighter future for our Nation,” Hawkins said.
Based on TCG’s bylaw, a byelection is expected to take place within two months to vote in a new president.
READ MORE:Tahltan government president suspended