Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 15/05) - The first representatives of the newly ratified Tlicho assembly were elected Monday, ushering in an new era of aboriginal self-government in the North.

Voters in three of the four Dogrib-speaking communities that comprise the Tlicho settlement area chose new chiefs.

Charlie Nitsiza retained his position as chief in Wha Ti while former North Slave MLA Leon Lafferty took the title in Rae-Edzo.

Henry Gon and Charlie Football were elected chiefs in Gameti and Wekweti respectively.

Voters also elected 28 councillors who will sit in the Tlicho Government when it replaces the traditional Dogrib bands this fall.

The assembly, one of the first in Canada to combine aboriginal land claims and self government, could eventually see the Dogrib people control everything from education to health care.