Terry Halifax and Cindy MacDougall
Northern News Services

NNSL (Nov 01/99) - The Dene Leadership Convention opened in Yellowknife Tuesday, with chiefs calling for an in-camera meeting to discuss the fraud of funds from the Dene National office in Yellowknife.

Liidli Kue First Nations Chief, Rita Cli, asked the leaders to address the issue as a priority.

"There have been charges laid here and it reflects on all Dene people," Cli said.

"We are Dene and we should deal with this as Dene," she said. "It affects all of us."

According to Cpl. Darcy Fleury of the RCMP G Division's commercial crimes unit, two Yellowknife women have been charged in the theft of roughly $90,000 from the Dene National Office.

"Two former employees of the Dene Nation have been charged," Fleury confirmed.

The amount has yet to be determined, but Fleury said the crime was discovered through annual accounting at the Dene office.

"Overall, we're talking about $86,000 to $90,000," he said.

"It was discovered through an internal audit of the Dene Nation."

The women face one count each of fraud over $5,000, one count each of theft over $5,000 and one count each of the indictable offence of breach of trust.

The accused were released on their own recognisance until Dec. 14 for their first appearance in court.

As of press time, Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus refused to comment.

In a related matter, last Wednesday the RCMP's commercial crime unit also confirmed it was continuing an investigation into the finances of the now-defunct Fitz Smith Native Development Corporation. The investigation began in 1997.

The corporation was connected to the Salt River First Nation.

Salt River Chief Nora Beaver said the investigation is unfounded.

"The band audit has been done and passed by Indian Affairs," she said. "Everything (all monies) had to be accounted for before it passed. We haven't been approached about Fitz Smith lately."

Cpl. Darcy Fleury of the commercial crimes unit of the RCMP's G Division confirmed the police are continuing its investigation into Fitz Smith, but it has been ongoing since 1997.

Beaver said she expects an apology from the RCMP on the confusion.

"Our phone has been ringing off the hook ever since the story has come out," she said.