Fort Simpson (June 27/03) - Keyna Norwegian said she had a good feeling before the Liidlii Kue First Nation election results were announced on June 19.

Keyna Norwegian has taken over as chief of the Liidlii Kue First Nation. As acting chief for stretches of the past three years, she said she felt restrained. Now Norwegian said she plans to consult with band members and make things happen. - NNSL photo

"I kind of had faith the way people were talking to me that I was going to win," Norwegian said. "But with eight candidates running, in reality anything could have happened."

Even though she only received 25 per cent of the popular vote, she said she doesn't feel vulnerable to criticism because there were eight names on the ballot.

Her immediate plans are already set. She's in Kakisa for the Deh Cho Assembly this week. That will be followed by a trip to Aklavik for the Dene National Assembly and then to Edmonton for the Assembly of First Nations AGM.

At the DCFN leadership table, Norwegian said she will lobby for a stronger voice for the LKFN. She said it's imperative that the organization is structured from the bottom-up, with the communities driving the agenda.

While in Aklavik, she is hoping to meet with representatives from the Aboriginal Pipeline Group (APG) to discuss the pipeline. She said she wants questions answered directly so she can bring the information back to LKFN membership. Then they can decide whether they want to sign on with the APG, she noted.

"My priority right now is making sure we get something out of this pipeline. If it's not being part owners, it's at least getting our access fees or whatever," said Norwegian.

Following her hectic travel schedule, she said she plans to visit all LKFN band members in their homes to "regain their confidence."

"In the past couple years there's been so much conflict (on council)," she said. "Our members have not been aware of the issues we've been dealing with."