by Cheryl Leschasin
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 25/97) - The 27th Dene National Assembly, held August 10 to 15 in Hay River, is the Dene Nation's version of a legislative assembly. It allows members and descendants of Dene an open forum in which to voice concerns.

Scheduled talks at the assembly included development and federal and GNWT policies, including the Family Law Bill, student financial assistance, housing, fisheries, the Indian Act and gun control.

As expected, concern centred mainly around two pressing issues within the Dene Nation today: unresolved land issues and federal gun control legislation.

"We need to get all of our people together to work out land rights and for Canada to open up their policies to allow alternative processes," said Bill Erasmus, chief of the Dene Nation, referring to land issues.

At least five chiefs attending the assembly expressed concern that land claims processes need to speed up.

Ndilo Chief Darrell Beaulieu said it is important the Dene Nation and various other aboriginal organizations send a strong message that land issues need to be resolved through negotiations now, not in a few years.

Erasmus said he also expects coming division of the NWT will play an important role in the immediate future of land claims and the Dene Nation in particular.

Erasmus said it is important to look at how the advent of a new territory will affect the Dene Nation, and to prepare the people for what to expect.

Though there are other important issues within the Dene Nation, Erasmus said he feels once the issues of land claims and division are resolved, everything else will follow.

"The other things will fall into place if you deal with the two main issues," he said.

Erasmus, recently acclaimed to his fourth term in office, can be certain members of the Dene Nation are satisfied with his leadership over the past 10 years.

Nominations for the position of National Chief of the Dene Nation were open from July 14 to 25. Erasmus was the only candidate nominated. He was also acclaimed in 1987, the first year he ran, elected in 1989 and acclaimed again in 1991.

Though this is his third acclamation, Erasmus said he wasn't surprised at the outcome -- just glad to get on with business as usual without delay.

"There are other good candidates out there, but people are already engaged in other activities," said Erasmus.