NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Improved communication tops the list of priorities for the new Tlicho grand chief, elected last week following a byelection.

Eddie "Ediiwa" Erasmus, a former Behchoko chief, won the Tlicho leadership race on March 23 with slightly less than 50 per cent of the vote. He claimed 711 votes of the 1,472 ballots and defeated former MLAs James Wah-Shee and Leon Lafferty, who garnered 447 votes and 302 votes respectively.

Alphonse Apples had been acting grand chief in the interim, replacing former grand chief Joe Rabesca, who resigned in October following controversy over his leadership.

Erasmus built his election campaign on a promise of increasing communication between the Tlicho chiefs and the constituents.

"I want to restore the unity that was there before," Erasmus said. "We need to communicate on a daily basis. It doesn't matter where we are; it's very important to have a good working relationship. Once we have that, it will be so much easier to fulfil the mandate of grand chief."

First on his agenda is to develop a plan to deal with the major issues for the communities, such as a land use plan, youth problems and devolution.

"We should work within the Tlicho Government instead of concentrating on other governments' agendas," Erasmus said. "We need to set our own agenda."

Erasmus wants to complete and implement a land-use plan, provide a recreation facility for youth in the community and ensure the territorial and federal government remain true to the Tlicho Agreement signed in 2005 as it refers to devolution.

The Tlicho Government is the NWT's first aboriginal self-government and Erasmus said devolution discussions must include the Tlicho.

"If it ever goes ahead, it will the biggest land grab in the history of the territorial government," Erasmus said. "The territorial and federal government signed the Tlicho Agreement and should know to talk to the Tlicho before devolution."

As a majority of the Tlicho's 4,000 population are youth, Erasmus wants to offer them recreational activities to help combat social issues - such as alcohol, violence and vandalism. The large, abandoned sports facility in Behchoko has been a focus of debate over who is responsible for it - the GNWT or the Tlicho.

Erasmus wants the territorial government, which owns the building, to open and operate it.

"I want to relay the same message to the diamond mining industry," Erasmus said. "They fund other complexes like the Multiplex in Yellowknife, why not us?"

Erasmus will serve as the new grand chief until September 2013.

"I want to do everything in my power that I can to work for all the Tlicho people, whether they supported me or not," Erasmus said. "We have to treat everyone equally."