A company that specializes in human resources and internal investigations has taken Liard First Nation (LFN) to court over what it claims are unpaid bills totalling more than $60,000.
Xpera Risk Mitigation and Investigation LP filed a statement of claim to the Yukon Supreme Court on April 11.
According to the lawsuit, LFN, with the authorization of chief and council and the approval of the elders council, retained Xpera in 2016 to “conduct an internal investigation relating to a previous Liard First Nation chief and council and mismanagement of funds.”
Xpera was to “provide investigation and forensic auditing services,” the claim says, and LFN was to “pay invoices as rendered.”
However, the lawsuit alleges, LFN “has refused or neglected to pay” the balance of three invoices issued between March 2016 and June 2017, “despite repeated demands” from Xpera.
In total, the allegedly unpaid invoices amount to $42,049.28, which, as of April 9, had accumulated $19,044.23 in interest.
In total, Xpera claims, it’s owed $61,390.02, with additional interest accumulating at a rate of $40.37 per day.
The lawsuit is seeking the $61,390.02 in unpaid invoices and interest, pre- and post-judgement interest at an annual rate of 24 per cent and legal costs.
LFN had not yet filed a statement of defence as of April 17, but in an email, LFN spokesperson Lael Lund wrote that the First Nation’s legal team has “obtained a copy” of the lawsuit.
“We note this claim arises from actions undertaken by the previous Chief and Council. Liard First Nation is committed to the principles of good governance and takes any complaint of this nature very seriously,” Lund wrote. “In light of all these circumstances, LFN is not in a position to provide you with a more detailed response or course of action at this time.”
Contact Jackie Hong at jackie.hong@yukon-news.com