Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (May 30/03) - Tired of fighting and being attacked, Rita Cli said she won't be seeking a third term as chief of the Liidlii Kue First Nation.

Rita Cli: "It's not a glorified position."

Nominations closed Monday and Cli is not among the candidates.

"If they figure that I'm not doing a good job as leader, then let somebody else have a crack at it and see if they can do any better," she said.

In choosing their next leader, Cli is urging that LKFN members only to vote for those who lead an alcohol- and drug-free lifestyle.

She warned that the next chief will find the demands rigorous.

"It's not a glorified position. You have to do your homework," she said. "You have to make sacrifices and take a lot of stuff that flies your way."

In her six years as leader, she said she is proud to have advocated for improved education and helped further the Deh Cho self-government process.

The next LKFN chief and council's biggest challenge will be how they handle industrial development, she predicted.

"If they play their cards right and read all their documents, they are in control," Cli advised.

"With the Deh Cho Process as land management, there's a guideline already set." Even though she's stepping away from the political table, she vowed to closely monitor LKFN decisions.

"If need be I will rile up the membership and (be) very vocal," she said.

Although her future plans aren't finalized, she acknowledged that some people have encouraged her to run for MLA or Deh Cho First Nations grand chief.

Names not released

Nominations for Liidlii Kue chief and council closed on Monday.

There are eight band council seats available. The list of nominees was not made public by press time. The election is scheduled for June 19.