The auditors were unable to complete an audit, as there were too many missing records. Whetung, while stating in the Federal Court proceeding that he was unaware of any of the Party's financial records, admitted in the BC Supreme Court to having the financial records that were needed to complete the audit. The BC Supreme Court ordered him to deliver what records he controlled to the auditors, and to pay for the audit. According to the Party's auditors not enough of the missing records were delivered to provide an opinion. Payment for their work was never received from the Plaintiffs. After much work by volunteers, financial records meeting the requirements set by Elections Canada were provided to the Chief Elector Officer, prior to the de-registration of the Party. The Whetung faction was represented by top law firms at both the provincial and federal levels. The National Council, short of funds, was represented by the Party's President and Chief Agent, William Stephenson. Treasurer, Michael Kim Stebner, and Leader, Paul Reid. All challenges to the National Council by Whetung's group failed from lack of merit. Costs awarded to the National Council have not been paid. The final court challenge at the Federal Court of Appeal failed on September 10, 1998 (Court file number A-1056-96). In an unprecedented move, the three member Federal Appeal Court delivered their decision from the bench in favour of the National Council, rejecting, outright, all claims by Whetung and the other plaintiffs. Although party membership continued to grow after the 1993 election, the seven meritless court challenges having damaged the brand and the Party's finances, the National Party of Canada was prevented from promoting the Party's agenda or to contest any further elections. In June 1997, Canada's Chief Electoral Officer officially de-registered the party. Some members of the Whetung group, and one of the group's legal counsel ran as candidates for other parties during the litigation to wrest control of the Party from the Party's National Council and members.