Wrigley (Feb 10/06) - A narrow margin made elder Gabe Hardisty the new chief in Wrigley.

At the Feb. 2 elections, Hardisty received 24 votes, just one more than Sharron Pellissey.

"I was kind of surprised I won by one vote," said Hardisty.

The election became necessary after hamlet residents voted Jan. 22 to oust former chief David Moses after he was charged with possession of marijuana. Three councillors also resigned.

Hardisty, who was born in the bush at Ochre River, is returning to the position of chief of the Pehdzeh Ki First Nation after a long absence. He was chief in the 1970s and '80s for a total of 10 years.

A lot has changed since then, said Hardisty. Things were easier with processes being a simple matter of asking and receiving. With the pipeline, the land claim and the new government, things are different, he said.

"But eventually we will work it out," said Hardisty.

He said he is currently working to get up to speed on all the issues. Access and benefits agreements for the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline are one of the items that he wants to focus on.

"We need something for the community in the future," said Hardisty.

Looking into development possibilities for the area with other leaders is also on his list of things to pursue.

"We need something going," he said.

Long-standing issues include the desire of the community to have a nurse and RCMP presence. Hardisty said he will meet with Michael Miltenberger, the minister of health and social services, to see where he stands on the nursing situation.

Hardisty's first meeting as chief is the Dehcho Land Use Planning Committee regional forum on the Hay River Reserve.

Going into the forum, Hardisty said he will be examining everyone else's standpoint to see if they agree. Having control of the land is important, said Hardisty. He would like to have the ability to ask people coming onto the land what they want instead of the other way around.

Hardisty admits, however, that right now in the early days of his leadership, he is taking things one step at a time.

Newly-elected councillors include Alfred Williams, Michael Neyelle, Darcy E. Moses, Albert Moses, Tim Lennie and Jessie Clillie.