Vuntut Gwitchin citizens in the Yukon say they are concerned their First Nation's leaders aren't being transparent with them, or involving them in decisions.

At least 65 Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN) members met Monday evening in Old Crow, Yukon, for a community-led discussion about their concerns. CBC News was not allowed to be present, but meeting co-organizer Erika Tizya-Tramm said Tuesday that attendees shared similar concerns.

"These issues have really been coming to a head with further and further actions like shutting down forums for discussion or not providing forums for discussion," Tizya-Tramm said.

Last week, CBC News reported that the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation was disabling comments on its Facebook page. At the time, the First Nation said that decision was to "encourage respectful dialogue outside of social media." It said people could still comment about government and community issues on the First Nation's website.

The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation has repeatedly declined CBC's requests for an interview.

Tizya-Tramm said Monday's meeting was meant to create a safe space for citizens to voice their concerns without feeling targeted or judged. She said many of those who attended say they are feeling ignored by leadership, and are tired of it but don't know how to do anything about it.

"There's a big divide right now," she said. "It's very difficult for any one person to know how to bridge that without feeling an incredible sense of responsibility, and not wanting to feel like they're going to be stuck with the consequences for speaking out."

Tizya-Tramm said in a small community like Old Crow, everyone knows everyone. Family ties run deep, and many people hold different positions within the local government. She said people don't want to put their jobs, relationships or selves at risk by speaking out.

Tizya-Tramm said VGFN leadership was not invited to Monday's meeting, but one council member, Crystal Linklater, did attend. Linklater spoke about a situation she is going through with her colleagues.

Tizya-Tramm said leadership will be invited to future meetings, but this week's meeting was solely focused on hearing from citizens.

Tizya-Tramm is one of several Vuntut Gwitchin citizens CBC News has spoken with in recent days about similar concerns with how the community is currently being governed.

In a recent interview with CBC News, VGFN citizen Stanley Njootli Jr. echoed some of Tiyza-Tramm's concerns.

"If you speak up in this community, you can get targeted," Njootli Jr. said. "It's happened to me. I lost my job but I don't have the funds to get a lawyer and whatnot, and there's no recourse within our government."

Njootli Jr. said he feels in the dark about what is happening in his own community. He said aside from the First Nation's general assembly, he hasn't seen a public meeting held by chief and council, which is required annually under the governance act, in over a year.

He said many council resolutions have been debated and passed without consent or any consultation.

"People feel that they have no voice," Njootli said.

Njootli Jr. and Tizya-Tramm said people just want to be included in the decision-making process. Both said they aren't looking for anyone to resign or be removed from their positions.

"We always need to support our leaders," Tizya Tramm said. "But maybe support doesn't look like we blindly follow everything our leaders are doing. Maybe support looks like us standing up as a community and saying, 'Hey something is not right and we want to investigate that and we can do it together.'

"This shouldn't be an us-versus-them."

Citizens are raising these concerns at the same time one VGFN councillor says she is facing unfair pressure from her colleagues to step down.

Coun. Crystal Linklater, who has held her position since 2023, received a letter mid-January titled "request for resignation" and signed by Chief Pauline Frost, Deputy Chief Harold Frost Jr. and Coun. Debra Leigh Reti.

The letter alleges Linklater hosted a gathering at her home over the holidays where people, including Linklater, were drinking alcohol — a breach of VGFN laws, given Old Crow is a dry community.

It also alleges Linklater assaulted two people during an altercation at that party, and that RCMP had been called to make an "emergency intervention".

Linklater says that's not true.

"I spoke to the RCMP here in Old Crow at the detachment and they had said that there was no such report and that they didn't know what [Frost] was talking about," Linklater said.

Yukon RCMP told CBC News they won't provide any information about the incident in question for privacy reasons. There was no record of charges against Linklater in the Yukon court registry.

What bothered Linklater more about the letter was a threat that if she didn't resign quietly, the First Nation would go public with its claims.

Linklater said her partner and father to her three children died suddenly last year. She didn't disclose to CBC News whether or not she was drinking during the time in question but did admit she has leaned on alcohol to cope with the grief. She said that shouldn't be a reason to force her off council.

"It was really hurtful to see that," Linklater said. "It felt like a personal attack."

The letter also accused Linklater of a pattern of troubling behaviour during her time on council, including incidents of "aggressive and confrontational" conduct. Linklater confirmed there were two incidents; one was resolved through a mediator and the other was never addressed. She said she wasn't aware of any other complaints against her.

"I don't believe I've shown any kind of behaviours like that."

The letter, dated Jan. 15, gave Linklater two days to respond, either by stepping down or submitting a written explanation to Frost directly about the holiday incident. Linklater responded that she is not planning on resigning.

"Under our constitution, the only way you can be asked to resign is if you've been found guilty of an indictable offence or you've missed three consecutive, scheduled chief and council meetings," Linklater said in an interview.

"I'm not resigning for the simple fact I shouldn't be blackmailed. I shouldn't be manipulated."

Frost declined an interview request.

In a text message on behalf of VGFN, communications manager Gyde Shepherd wrote : "As elected leaders, we treat all Nation-related matters, whether related to governance, internal or external issues, or otherwise, as highly sensitive and confidential. This is particularly important where no final decisions have been made, and therefore not yet suitable for public discussion.

"We view maintaining this confidentiality as crucial to protecting the reputations of our citizens, regardless of their position or role within our community, especially when matters are still under review and not yet fully determined."