Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 17, 2007

FORT SIMPSON - Grand Chief Herb Norwegian of the Dehcho First Nations has been found guilty of assault.

Norwegian appeared in Territorial Court in Fort Simpson on Dec. 11 and plead guilty to a charge of assault.

Herb Norwegian: "I'm really sorry for what happened."

The charge arose from an incident on Nov. 11, 2007, and involved a woman. RCMP officers said the victim wasn't injured and that she reported the assault on the day it happened. Charges were laid four days later. The assault involved a backhanded slap across the victim's face.

Judge Robert Gorin sentenced Norwegian to one day in jail, 50 hours of community service and six months of probation. During the probation period Norwegian will have to attend all counselling sessions suggested by his probation officer.

During his court appearance, Norwegian, 55, apologized for his actions.

"I'm really sorry for what happened," Norwegian said according to the court transcript.

Following his conviction, Norwegian told News/North he's talked with the executive for the Dehcho First Nations and some elders and has decided to take some time off from his role as Grand Chief.

Norwegian said that the charge was a serious matter and that he hopes it serves as a lesson for other people in positions of power who are supposed to set an example through their actions.

"I'm really sorry for everyone that was involved in this," he said

"I'm really embarrassed about it."

Norwegian said he's been dealing with a lot of personal issues including effects from time spent in residential school.

"It's something I have to deal with," he said.

Norwegian said he's been taking counselling for the past two weeks and will be seeking more help.

"I'm just really sorry I've hurt so many people in my time," said Norwegian.

The Dehcho First Nations has announced that the leadership, including chiefs, Metis presidents and elders, will gather through a teleconference call on Dec. 17 to discuss the implications of Norwegian's guilty plea and sentence for assault.

The call was organized following an earlier teleconference meeting on Dec. 13. During the meeting a group of chiefs and elders agreed that DFN's policy of zero tolerance for violence meant they needed to discuss appropriate actions.

The Dehcho First Nations doesn't have a written policy about violence but leadership have passed a number of resolutions on the issue, said Roy Inglangasuk, the executive director of DFN.

"Our leadership has expressed a zero tolerance," said Inglangasuk.

The Dehcho First Nations is also examining whether having a criminal record will effect Norwegian's eligibility to be Grand Chief. Past leadership assemblies have asked that a set of criteria for people looking to be Grand Chief be established, said Inglangasuk. Those criteria could involve criminal records.

Although work has been done to establish criteria it hasn't been taken to the leadership for approval yet, said Inglangasuk.