Canadian Town Council Faces Deadlock As Newly Elected Mayor, Officials Refuse To Pledge Allegiance to King Charles III

A political standoff has gripped Dawson City, Yukon, after its newly elected mayor and council members refused to pledge allegiance to King Charles III as required by law. 

The refusal stems from solidarity with councillor Darwyn Lynn, a Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation member, who expressed discomfort over swearing allegiance to the Crown due to its historical relationship with Indigenous peoples. 

Mayor-elect Stephen Johnson defended the decision, stating it was not intended as a slight against the monarchy. 

“This is being done with no disrespect to His Majesty King Charles,” Johnson said. “And also we’re not doing this to go, ‘Rah, rah, look at us,’ to poke everybody across Canada, to get rid of the Crown. “It was just something we wanted to do together to show solidarity in what we do here in this town.”

Yukon law mandates newly elected officials to take the Oath of Allegiance within 40 days of election. Without this, their positions will be declared void on 9 December. 

The council has requested permission to take an alternative oath, but Yukon officials have not confirmed whether such a request will be approved. 

Bill Kendrick, Dawson City’s outgoing mayor, urged resolution, saying he hoped “it gets worked out for the sake of the new council, so they can get down to business”.

Dawson City, with a population of 2,400, is a historic town linked to the Klondike Gold Rush. Its Indigenous roots, however, remain central to its identity, with the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in people having been displaced during colonial expansion. 

The incident underscores growing tensions in Canada over the monarchy’s role, with debates reigniting over its relevance in modern governance.  

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