Christine Grimard
Northern News Services
Friday, July 27, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - A woman who publicly condemned Behchoko Chief Leon Lafferty at last week's Dene National Assembly misled chiefs into believing she was a representative from the Native Women's Association of the NWT, according to National Dene Chief Bill Erasmus.

Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus says he was misled into thinking Mary-Ann Jeremick was a representative of the Native Women's Association. - NNSL photo

Erasmus said he would not have let Mary-Ann Jeremick'a speak to the assembly July 19, had he known she was going to discuss letters of support for a convicted sex offender written by Behchoko Chief Leon Lafferty and MLA Jackson Lafferty.

"The impression she gave me was that she was a representative of the Native Women's Association," said Erasmus at a press conference in Yellowknife July 25. "That was why we allowed her to speak."

Jeremick'a spoke to the assembly about the Native Women's Association walk from Yellowknife to Behchoko, and then lashed out against Lafferty for the letters.

Denyse Nadon-Holder, executive director of the Native Women's Association, said that Jeremick'a didn't speak as an employee or a board member of the association, but only as an independent member.

"As an organization, we have an obligation to support our members," said Nadon-Holder. She said she was aware that Jeremick'a planned to discuss the letters.

"We can't tell people what to say," she added. "You can just try and guide them."

Erasmus said he would have preferred Jeremick'a come to him first to address her concerns.

"Why is she going to the media? If the issue's with me, why doesn't she want to talk to me?" he asked.

Erasmus said if Jeremick'a wanted to put a motion on the floor she was too late, and she should have brought it forward sooner.

"If she has concerns, I want to try and address them," he said.

Erasmus said he will help Jeremick'a write a motion for the next assembly if she is still interested.