K'ATLODEECHE/HAY RIVER RESERVE - For the third time in just five years, Chief Alec Sunrise and former chief Roy Fabian will face one another in a vote to lead K'atlodeeche First Nation.

They are the only candidates for chief in a June 16 election, which will also elect a new council on the Hay River Reserve. Each of them have won elections for chief before, most recently in the past two elections.

Sunrise won in 2006 by a two-to-one margin in a two-man race against Fabian. In 2004, Fabian was re-elected chief when he nipped past Sunrise by two votes in a four-person field.

Fabian had been elected chief in 2002 for a second time, after serving as leader for one term ending in 1990.

Sunrise said the outcomes of elections are always determined by band members.

"It's going to be the members in the end who will decide," he said.

The 55-year-old highlighted that he has worked to promote economic development on the reserve since being elected chief.

"It's started," he said.

Sunrise added he also learned a lot about how the different levels of government work together. "That was probably the biggest job," he said.

Fabian said band members need to feel confident in their leadership, particularly in dealing with land issues. The leadership has to approach land issues, such as the Deh Cho Process, based on knowledge of history, he said.

"We need to start challenging the government," he said, adding the current leadership doesn't know enough about history. "We're just being herded along."

Fabian, 58, also has concerns about culture. "For me, I don't see culture and language being a priority and it should be," he said.

The June 16 vote will fill all six council seats. Candidates running for the seats include Robert Lamalice, Pat Martel, Leslie Norn, Peter Sabourin, Raymond Sonfrere, Andy Cardinal - who are all incumbents - and Lyle Fabian, Jeanna Graham, Doug Lamalice, Shirley Lamalice, Ken Norn and Joe Tambour.