Rae-Edzo (Sep 04/06) - Whether it's growing pains of a new government, a simple misunderstanding or outright prejudice is up for debate, but one Behchoko resident is crying foul after the recent Tlicho Assembly.

Ernie Lennie, originally from the Sahtu though he has lived in Behchoko for more than three years with his Dogrib partner, was denied the chance to speak at the Tlicho Assembly in Wekweeti Aug. 4.

On the night of the gathering, Lennie said he went to Johnny Weyallon, a Behchoko band councillor, to have his name put on the speaker's list.

After talking to executive officer John B. Zoe, Weyallon came back to Lennie and whispered, "John B. Zoe said you are not a Tlicho citizen and not allowed to speak," Lennie recounted, adding he was shocked.

Zoe admitted he denied Lennie the chance to speak.

"The assembly is for the Tlicho citizens, that is who it's for," he said. The only way non-Tlicho people can speak at is if they have been invited to do so, as were MP Denis Bevington and representatives of several mining companies.

The Tlicho constitution would appear to be on Lennie's side.

It states that persons "directly affected by any programs or services delivered by any Tlicho Government institution should have an opportunity to participate in the decision making process with respect to the management and delivery of those programs and services."

Tlicho Grand Chief George Mackenzie doesn't quite see it that way and agrees Lennie had no right to speak.

He reiterates that non-citizens are "not allowed to speak unless they are invited" to do so.

Calling the incident an unfortunate misunderstanding, Mackenzie said Lennie should have gone directly to the chairperson of the meeting to request to speak.

If he had done that, it would have been explained to him that as a non-citizen he was not allowed to do so.

The Tlicho Agreement created "an Aboriginal government through a land claim" and that non-Tlicho citizen "shouldn't dictate to us what we should do," the Grand Chief added.

This isn't the first time Lennie said he has felt prejudice within the Dogrib community.

Recently he applied for the position of wellness co-ordinator in Behchoko and said he thinks he was the only applicant qualified for the job.

Instead of him being hired, however, a non-Aboriginal from Arviat was given the position. He tried to appeal the decision but was given no appeals process.

"It's hard not to feel it is personal," he said.

"It is prejudicial ... almost racist." He sees what happened to him as "a real affront to that culture" of the Dene people living and working together. Lennie plans to file a complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.