A website the Yukon First Nation chiefs directed citizens to recommends federal voters in the territory mark their ballots in favour of the Liberal party.

As reported in the Star last week, Yukon First Nation chiefs suggested citizens review recommendations at www.strategicvoting.ca The website’s homepage promotes voting strategically.

“Vote Harper out. Vote Strategically!” it’s stated on the home page.

Visitors to the page can click on a section titled “How to Vote Strategically,” which will bring them to a list of 128 “swing districts.”

That list includes the Yukon riding with the recommendation that ballots be cast in favour of the Liberals. Recommendations for other ridings request voting for the Liberals, NDP or Green Party, depending on the riding.

As stated on the site, a summary of the methodology for riding recommendations notes that considerations included:

“• Publicly available riding-level opinion polls data. Latest polls take precedence;

• 2011 election results, if supported by threehundredeight.com projections; and

• When threehundredeight.com projections conflicts with 2011 election results, I review previous election results (2000, 2004, 2006 and 2008) for the riding voting trend and the reason behind the conflict. This is especially important with the surge in support for the Liberals to levels not seen since the 2006 election results.”

The Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) made its statement last week directing voters to the website, but that press release did not make mention of the recommended vote.

CYFN Grand Chief Ruth Massie was not available for comment this morning due to travel, but Teslin Tlingit Chief Carl Sidney said, “this is an unusual step for the Yukon First Nation leadership to encourage citizens to consider the past performance of governments and those seeking election.

“We believe we must vote strategically to ensure that we elect a supportive government,” he said in a statement.

“Review the recommendations put forward at www.strategicvoting.ca. We cannot have our member of Parliament elected by default when other strong candidates split the vote.

“We are frustrated on account of being forced to implement our land claim and self-government agreements by litigation rather than by way of constructive dialogue and co-operation.”

“We recognize the right of each citizen to vote for the candidate that they believe best represents him or her; however, we are cognizant that this is a federal election and we need a national government that supports our agreements, aspirations and objectives,” Massie said in the statement.

“The track record over the past decade pushes Yukon First Nations to look at all the parties that best represent aboriginal interests.

“We believe that together, we can elect a government that will address aboriginal issues, honour and implement our agreements.

“We appreciate the commitment of the four federal candidates who participated in the election forum facilitated by the Council of Yukon First Nations in Whitehorse on Sept. 29.

“We encourage all Yukon First Nations citizens to register with Elections Canada immediately so they can vote in the upcoming election.”

Asked about the CYFN’s position during a campaign announcement today, Conservative incumbent MP Ryan Leef reiterated his party is the only one with Yukon-specific measures.

“We enjoy tremendous support in First Nation communities,” he said.

“There are First Nation people working on my campaign, (and) there’s a tremendous reception across the territory.”

Leef said he has fulfilled each of his 2011 promises.

That includes “getting rid of the billion-dollar boondoggle called the long-gun registry that’s very important for Yukon First Nation people because it affects their rights to harvest, hunt and enjoy traditional way of life,” he said.

Documents showed in 2013 that the government only saved $2 million per year from scrapping the registry.

– With a file from Pierre Chauvin.