Adam Johnson
Northern News Services
Published Friday, September 7, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - When former Dettah chief Peter Liske promised to check himself into rehab if re-elected, it got people talking. But no one thought it would show up on the Tonight Show - least of all him.

Jay Leno lets chuckles while having fun with a recent News/North story about then incumbent Dettah chief Peter Liske promising to go to rehab if re-elected. The story popped up as part of his regular Headlines segment. - Adam Johnson/NNSL photo

"When I made that statement, I didn't expect it to make Jay Leno," said the former chief and now MLA hopeful for Weledeh.

On Tuesday night, Leno ran through his weekly piece, Headlines, where he makes fun of wacky headlines from around the U.S., and occasionally the globe.

Halfway through, he pulled out an Aug. 6 News/North story: "Dettah chief candidates debate issues."

He read the story's first sentence to the audience, which received a round of laughter:

"An unusual campaign promise came from incumbent chief Peter Liske at an all-candidates' forum at Dettah Thursday night. If he is re-elected Tuesday, he'll enter a 28-day treatment program."

"If I'm not elected... party!" Leno quipped afterwards.

While Liske said he hadn't seen the Leno piece yet - in fact, his Yellowknifer interview was the first he heard of it - he took the news in stride.

"You're grabbing attention, anyways," he said. "Somebody has to make Leno."

Liske's statement during the Dettah election addressed a question about the importance of a chief staying sober,

"If I'm elected, I already made arrangements to go to a treatment centre," he said at the time.

Liske came second in the Aug. 7 election, losing by a narrow margin to Dettah band councillor Ed Sangris.

Liske said his arrangements to enter treatment were "not an issue," now.

"I'm not drinking or anything. I feel my health is more important now."

While the nomination period is on for the Oct. 1 NWT election, Liske said he had one thing to get out of the way first - a vacation in Edmonton.

"I needed a break," he said.