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Eddie Erasmus re-elected Tlicho grand chief will serve for another four years
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 23, 2013
BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO
Eddie Erasmus will stay on as grand chief of the Tlicho Government after winning last week's election.
Erasmus received 577 votes on Sept. 16 while James Wah-Shee received 460 and George Mackenzie received 443, according to results from the registrar's office.
Six ballots were rejected.
Behchoko, Whati, Wekweeti and Gameti residents voted at polling stations in their communities and an additional station was set up in Yellowknife. Advanced polls, mail-out polls and mobile polls also took place.
Erasmus said one of his first goals is to facilitate the implementation of the Tlicho Land Use Plan, which came into effect on June 1. The plan identifies areas important to the region's people and serves as a guideline for resource development.
"The implementation of the Tlicho Land Use Plan is important to us because that would create our own source of revenue for Tlicho Government," Erasmus said.
The plan outlines the management strategy for about 39,000 square kilometres of Tlicho land, according to the document.
The Tlicho Government owns the surface and subsurface rights within the Tlicho land claim.
The moratorium that had been placed on the lands in 2005 was lifted when the plan came into effect this summer.
Erasmus said now that the plan is in place, the government can review development opportunities, which could generate jobs.
"Employment is important for the youth in our region," he said.
Erasmus said reinforcing relationships between the Tlicho and the territorial and Canadian governments is another priority.
Erasmus will serve as grand chief for the next four years. He was first elected as grand chief in 2011 and had served as chief of Behchoko in previous years.
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