Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
Fort Providence (Jun 25/01) - The next time this Mackenzie River community selects its band council traditional leadership selection may temper, or replace, the hard numbers game of elections.
When the ballots were counted up for the Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation election held a week ago, just five votes separated the two top candidates for chief.
Such close races come at a cost to the community, said Joachim Bonnetrouge, splitting it into winning and losing factions.
"The present form of British parliamentary style democracy we know of today tends to divide the community," said Bonnetrouge. "It's started to be viewed as being negative."
At 54 years of age, Bonnetrouge said he's considered a "baby elder" by the community's elders'council. He is working with the elders to develop a new process more in keeping with dene traditions than elections.
When the votes were counted in the June 18 election, band leaders turned to the elders council to confirm Sam Gargan's 114-109 win over Berna Landry. After discussing the issue, the elders agreed Gargan should be chief.
The elders'council has drafted a policy describing a new leadership selection process.
Acting band executive director Doug Bryshun said the policy was to be adopted in time for this election, but because it was close to the end of its term, the previous band council decided to leave it to the new council.
Bonnetrouge said the draft policy, to be refined through community discussions, provides senior representatives from the "eight or nine" original families that compose the community a say in the screening of candidates and selection. Changes are also being planned to the band constitution to provide for the new process.
"Suppose they screen out three and there's one left, someone who has all the qualifications," said Bonnetrouge. "They would recommend that person to the community at a public meeting."
The recommendation would be discussed at the meeting until a consensus was reached.
"If there is no front-running candidate, they may recommend, 'Okay, we may go to the polls.'"
Bonnetrouge said the aim is to have the policy introduced within a year.
A task that lies ahead is refining what 'qualifications'matter most. Bonnetrouge offered awareness of traditional values and history as the kind of qualifications being considered in selecting a leader.
"The big thing is trust," said Bonnetrouge. "We still need to spell out some of the checks and balances, but it will involve a strong element of trust."
Deh Cho First Nation elders exercised their authority at last summer's assembly. To the surprise of many, they re-appointed Michael Nadli grand chief. Most were expecting the chief to be selected by a vote.
"When elders make a decision on anything, nobody questions it," Bonnetrouge said.
"The elders are beginning to take back their role in the community on a number of fronts."
