Governance in Yukon's second-largest municipality has been at a standstill since its newly elected mayor and council refused to pledge allegiance to King Charles during their swearing-in ceremony. The Oath of Allegiance requires newly elected councillors to swear or affirm they "will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles III" and his "heirs and successors according to law." Do you think newly elected councillors should have to pledge allegiance to King Charles?

Stephen Johnson, the mayor-elect of Dawson City, said he and the four-member council refused to take Canada's official oath to the monarch on Nov. 5 because of the Crown's history with Indigenous populations. He said council hasn't been able to proceed with municipal duties and is eagerly waiting for the territory's Department of Community Services to respond to its request to take an alternative to the Oath of Allegiance. "We can't do anything legally required of us under the Municipal Act ... so we are sort of, kind of council, and I'm sort of, kind of the mayor," Johnson said. Do you agree that if councillers refuse to take the oath, they should not be able to do anything legally under the Municipal Act?

The act says if a person elected to council fails to take the oaths within 40 days after the election, "their election shall be considered null and void and their office vacant." That means a deadline of around Dec. 10, said Johnson. He added that the territory has indicated it wants to avoid a byelection. The territory is reviewing council's request to swear a different oath, a Community Services spokesperson said in an email. Do you agree that if a person elected to council fails to take the oaths within 40 days after the election, "their election shall be considered null and void and their office vacant."?