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DEH CHO - The Dehcho First Nations' is preparing to elect its next grand chief.

During the winter leadership meeting held in Fort Simpson from Feb. 24 to 26 delegates approved a new election policy and code. DFN's Election Committee created the documents.

"We did a considerable amount of work over the last year," said Richard Lafferty, a member of the committee.

The committee is composed of the two elders and two members at large who also sit on the DFN executive. Current members include elder Violet Cli, elder Margaret Leishman, Joanne Deneron as well as Lafferty.

What the committee created is a more structured, formal process, said Lafferty.

"It was clear the assembly wanted a clear, transparent election code," he said.

The committee wanted to use a process that would be affordable as well as more traditional than modern.

"It's quite a challenge to strike a balance," said Lafferty.

One major question about the process was answered at the 2008 annual general assembly when delegates voted against holding a regional assembly. A regional assembly would have allowed every DFN member to vote but the process would have been prohibitively expensive, Lafferty said.

Instead, the practice of having delegates at the annual assembly vote will continue. DFN members can, however, have a say in the election outcome.

The list of candidates will now be set before the end of May. Therefore, communities will have almost a month to examine the candidates and direct delegates how to vote, said Lafferty.

The month will also give the candidates time to campaign. The assembly has been scheduled for June 22 to 26 in Jean Marie River.

The Election Committee also established criteria outlining what's required in a candidate.

"We've tried to be as inclusive and supportive as we can and we'll see who runs," Lafferty said.

The position of grand chief is open to any Dene or Metis from the Deh Cho. Criteria include knowledge of traditional values, beliefs and skills as well as regional, territorial and national politics and the Dehcho Process.

Each candidate will have to submit a criminal record check. Candidates will be disqualified if they've committed a prohibited offense or have been convicted of a violent or indictable offence within the past five years.

Lafferty, who's been on every grand chief election committee except for one since 1993, said this election should be an interesting one.

In the past there have been both calm and contentious elections, said Lafferty, as well as races with up to eight candidates and cases where the grand chief was named by acclamation.

"There's never been two elections alike," he said, primarily because the election process has always been modified each time.

The current Grand Chief Jerry Antoine is remaining tight-lipped about whether or not he'll be putting his name forward in the election.

"I don't want to comment at this time," said Antoine.

Antoine said for now he's focusing on the work that still needs to be done prior to the assembly. Now that the election process is set it's one item that can be crossed off the list, he said.

Antoine was made interim grand chief in Feb. 2008 after Herb Norwegian was removed as grand chief. A resolution passed at the annual assembly later in June gave Antoine a full year in office.

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DFN GRAND CHIEF ELECTION PROCESS

- Nomination period, April 14-May 15

- Election Committee pre-screens the candidates, May 18

- Conference call between committee and DFN leadership to discuss and endorse the official candidates' list, May 20

- Candidates meet with Nahecho, the DFN elders' committee, June 2-4

- Election to be held at the annual general assembly, June 22-26