Yellowknife (May 29/06) - Embattled Dene National Chief Noeline Villebrun says she may take her fellow chiefs to court or even to the NWT Human Rights Commission if they attempt to remove her before her term ends this summer.

Dene national Chief Noeline Villebrun says she doesn't plan to run again when her term ends this July. - Mike Bryant/NNSL photo

"If they want to remove me, well, they got two months," said Villebrun.

"But they better be very, very careful because I also have rights. There is a process for me to take also."

Villebrun was responding to news that the executive council of the Dene Nation - made up of regional chiefs from throughout the NWT - is considering her removal after the former chief finance officer accused Villebrun of mismanagement and throwing her office into turmoil.

Keyna Norwegian, executive council member and chief of the Liidlii Kue First Nation, said she'd prefer to look at the matter now, rather than wait until the Dene National Assembly in July.

"I think there needs to be an internal leadership review," said Norwegian.

"It was definitely a concern with the chiefs in the Dene Nation and it's something that needs to be taken care of."

According to Norwegian, the meeting that included Chiefs Ronald Pierrot of the K'asho Gotine in Fort Good Hope, Yellowknives Dene Chief Peter Liske, Villebrun and herself resulted in mixed opinions.

"Some wanted to wait until after the election (at the end of July) to deal with this, but I'd prefer to sort it out before the election," said Norwegian.

She added that, "The executive could ask for (Villebrun's) resignation if the allegations have some truth to them."

If this course of action is followed before the election, an interim chief would be appointed from within the executive. The election for Grand Chief of the Dene Nation is scheduled for the end of July at the Hay River Reserve.

A letter sent to the executive council by former chief finance officer Marie Rose Sangris, May 17, accuses Villebrun of using Dene Nation funds to send her nephew to attend the Aboriginal Achievement Awards in Saskatoon, and improper use of her Dene Nation Visa card for gas and meals already supplied through her travel allowance.

Sangris also wrote that the Dene Nation office suffers from high turnover and "very low staff morale due to excessive office politics and bullying."

Sangris left her job in February. She declined to comment.

The same day Sangris' letter went out, Villebrun and her acting chief executive officer submitted a report to the executive council in an attempt to justify the chief's decision to fire three employees, including one chief executive officer who lasted in the job for only two months.

Villebrun makes no apologies for the firings, insisting the former employees were either insubordinate or broke confidentiality rules by divulging internal matters outside of the office.

"It's not like all my employees are disgruntled," said Villebrun.

"I have letters from employees thanking me for the experience. I'm not a monster."

The Dene Nation website lists 12 job positions and two vacancies.

Villebrun traces many of her troubles since winning her seat in 2003 to an acrimonious relationship with Bill Erasmus, regional vice-chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the former Dene national chief.

He refused to give up the vice-chief position, even though it traditionally goes to the Dene national chief upon election.

An election for the vice-chief position is scheduled for July 29, but Villebrun said it's only being held to legitimize Erasmus' hold on the AFN post.

Villebrun said she won't seek re-election and plans to move herself and her family to her homeland on the Taltson River when her term ends this summer.

Villebrun does say, however, people are still encouraging her to stay in politics, including an attempt to get her to run for the Western Arctic seat for the next federal election.

"I've been asked to run, that's all I can say," said Villebrun.

Erasmus could not be reached for comment.