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INUVIK
Herbert Blake was surrounded by family and supporters Tuesday night as the results rolled in from the election for chief of the Inuvik Native Band – nabbed by Blake for a second term – and for directors of the Nihtat Gwich'in Council.

Blake won with 46 per cent of the vote against Barry Greenland and Barb Crawford.

"I appreciate the support of the community whose interests I represent and I really ... admire those that put their name forward," said Blake.

"We're all together and I think it's a collective thing that's going to move our political and economic agenda forward. It's not just me."

Of the 13 people vying for a seat as council director, the successful candidates were Donald Andre, Herbert Blake, Jozef Carnogursky, Duane DeBastien, Leonard DeBastien, Barry Greenland, Richard Ross and Amy Thompson.

"There's some new faces on there and there's some very skilled, knowledgeable people who were able to retain their seats," said Blake.

He said issues the Inuvik Native Band and the Nihtat Gwich'in Council will be dealing with in the coming months and years include resolving the Gwich'in land claim and to see an agreement-in-principle for their self-government by December 2012.

He said devolution will also be a big factor in the future.

"Instead of trying to have s ome thing imposed on us, we want to sit at the table. It's real clear in our land claim agreement how those matters are supposed to be discussed and eventually devolved from Ottawa. It has to make sense not only to the Gwich'in but to everybody in the NWT," he said.

There was no election for councillors of the Inuvik Native Band. All eight candidates were acclaimed: Duane DeBastien, Bernice Furlong, Richard Firth, Melba Mitchell, Richard Ross, Sallie Ross, Susan Ross and Amy Thompson.

The election for chief and directors was held Tuesday at Ingamo Hall, where polls were open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Non-resident electors were able to vote by mail-in ballot.

The Inuvik Native Band and Nihtat Gwich'i n Council are two separate and distinct aboriginal governments, each having separate duties and responsibilities. The Inuvik Native Band was established under the Indian Act and provides programs and services to band members with funding from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (previously Indian and Northern Affairs Canada). The Nihtat Gwich'in Council is a designated Gwich'in organization, formed through the Gwich'in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement. All First Nations or Metis registered with the council through the land claim agreement can vote in the election if they are registered members of the Nihtat Gwich'in Council in Inuvik.

The two groups work together and have similar goals and members, but are separate governments. The last election for both groups was in 2009.

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