SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Settling the land claim was front and centre in Ndilo Wednesday, as around 50 Yellowknives Dene First Nation members showed up at the community gym for the chief candidates' forum.

Incumbent Fred Sangris, 51, said there must be an urgency to negotiate the settlement, believing his generation has experience negotiating with the federal government while the younger generation may not get as good a deal.

Sangris was cynical about the government's tactics thus far though, noting the vast amount of resource revenue the government collects from Yellowknives' land.

"Whether they agree or not, they don't want to settle," he said, before talking about how the government's negotiators have been pulled out just as breakthroughs were being made.

Candidate Peter Liske, 57, said all problems start and end with successfully settling the band's land claim. He said the sorely needed money the band needs to fund social programs and economic development in the community will come from the agreement.

He spoke about how other First Nations have successfully negotiated their claims - noting the Inuvialuit recently celebrated the 25th anniversary of the signing of their claim.

"What do we have? Nothing," he said, before outlining a March 31, 2012 deadline he would set for completing it.

Candidate Ted Tsetta, 47, said it was time to stop relying on "handouts" from government and impact benefit agreements with the diamond mines and to begin building business and growing economic opportunity in the community.

"We need to set up our own operations," he said, referring to trucking, underground mining, drilling and road and home construction.

"We have professional people in our band we need to utilize. We don't need to go to the mining industry to say we need jobs. We can do it ourselves," he said.

The three candidates took six pre-determined questions before the floor was opened up to members.

The first four members to speak all told the candidates to listen to members - both elders and youth - and to keep their doors open.

Later on, discussion turned to drug and alcohol problems in the community.

Sangris said he is concerned with the high amount of alcohol use by youth and floated the idea of prohibition.

"Maybe we need a plebiscite. Maybe we need to ban it in the community," he said.

Tsetta agreed, saying if it was the wish of members to ban alcohol in Ndilo, he would listen.

Members then questioned candidates about their own alcohol use.

Liske - who famously told members while running for re-election as chief of Dettah in 2007 he would go into rehab if elected - told members he made a commitment when he threw his hat in the ring.

"If I'm elected, I'll be sober for four years," said Liske.

Tsetta told members he has battled alcoholism in his past, but said he's become clean and sober. He also stated he'd institute a mandatory drug testing policy for chiefs and councillors.

Sangris said he hadn't touched alcohol in 21 years - not since the birth of his son.

The election will be held June 16