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Dehcho delegates to decide chief's fate

Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Thursday, January 31, 2008

LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Discussions on whether or not to impeach the Dehcho Nation's top leader extended over two days earlier this week.

Leaders, elders and band members met in Fort Simpson on Jan. 29 to 30 to decide the fate of Grand Chief Herb Norwegian.

NNSL photo

Grand Chief Herb Norwegian, right, sits beside Joanne Barnaby during the opening of the special assembly in Fort Simpson. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

During the special assembly 70 voting delegates were to decide whether Norwegian will be allowed to continue in his position.

Questions were raised about Norwegian's leadership after he was charged with assault. Norwegian pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted on Dec. 11, 2007. He was sentenced to one day in jail, 50 hours of community service and six months of probation.

The Dehcho First Nations has expressed a zero tolerance policy on violence but have said they don't have a written policy on the matter.

The assembly began at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, an hour later than scheduled. Bill Erasmus and Joanne Barnaby were appointed to chair the assembly. Together they discussed with the delegates a number of procedural issues on how the assembly would be organized.

Chris Reid, the legal council for the Dehcho First Nations (DFN), also addressed the delegates. Reid compared the assembly to a trial.

"It's like an impeachment trial," he said.

Reid emphasized the need for the procedure surrounding the decision to be done fairly. If the delegates decided to end Norwegian's employment and the decision wasn't made fairly, Norwegian would be able to sue DFN, Reid said.

"His job is on the line," said Reid, referring to Norwegian.

At the beginning of the assembly the delegates were also given a handout summarizing the discussions held in an elders gathering on Jan. 28.

Approximately 25 elders took part in the gathering, said Samuel Gargan, who chaired the meeting.

More than 50 per cent of the elders want to see Norwegian remain to serve out his term, said Gargan. The elders took the matter seriously and spent the whole day in discussion, Gargan said.

"There was a lot of concern and anxiety about the direction this could take us," he said.

The results of the elders gathering aren't binding and were given to the delegates for their consideration, Gargan said.

"The elders can only provide guidelines. It's up to the leaders to follow the guidelines or not," he said.

The discussion about procedural issues and the decision concerning Norwegian went in camera around noon with all members of the media and non-Dehcho members leaving the room.

Although the discussion was only scheduled to last one day talks were still in camera when the assembly broke at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. A draft resolution was expected to be drawn up during the night for the delegation to vote on Wednesday.

Norwegian is currently mid-way through a second three-year term as the leader of DFN.