Newly-minted Dene national chief talks priorities, relationships after election
CBC North caught up with the Dene Nation's newest national chief, Norman Yakeleya, post election
People were holding their breaths, tense and giddy with excitement, as they wondered late into Wednesday evening — who will be the next Dene national chief?
At about 8:30 p.m., outgoing Chief Bill Erasmus and the assembly's chief electoral officer made the announcement: Norman Yakeleya of Tulita, N.W.T. (who now lives in Yellowknife) will take over the role with 96 votes of the 232.
His competition, Richard Edjericon and Eileen Marlowe would follow relatively close behind, Marlowe with 75 and Edjericon with 61.
The Dene Nation, a political advocacy group that represents five main regions — Sahtu, Gwich'in, Akaitcho, Dehcho and Tlicho — is at the helm of a "new era," according many chiefs and leaders at the 48th assembly.
CBC North caught up with Yakeleya post election late Wednesday, and here's what the new Dene national chief had to say.
The interview has been condensed for clarity and space
Q: Norman congratulations on your win.
Mahsi cho (thank you). It was a good, long marathon campaign. I'm honoured.
Q: What are your first priorities as chief?
To establish an elders council to work with the Dene leadership, and also to look at the constitution bylaws and have a discussion on modifying it to bring it up to date.
Q: You also mentioned youth and women's councils. How do those factor into your vision of the Dene Nation?
Through the review of the organization itself, I'll look at establishing a women's council. When we relate back to the culture of our people, there are women in leadership in all facets of life in our communities.
I'd like to establish a young leadership program so that one day they will fill the shoes of the national and community leadership.
Q: It's been packed here. How does it make you feel to be voted in at such a huge assembly?
It's a really humbling experience. It's an honour because the people here are looking at the Dene Nation for a leader that will lead them into a new era.
People are thirsting for a new direction with Canada.
Q: We're in an era of regional governments. How do you imagine the Dene Nation working with those?
The Dene Nation is a servant of the regional governments, respecting their jurisdictions, land claims, self-governments and negotiations.
I want to build a new relationship with Ottawa and the N.W.T. government. We will work with you. That doesn't mean we're going to become you.- Norman Yakeleya, Dene national chief
Even our brothers and sisters in Saskatchewan, B.C., and Alberta, we're a family; uniting the Dene family of the world is a vision.
If any government threatens Indigenous, inherent rights, the Dene Nation will be there to protect them.
Q: How will you protect the regional governments?
That will be up to our executive council.
If we are threatened, we will prepare ourselves to protect our people, the treaties, ancestral lands.
As I said earlier, if the Tlicho needs the Dene Nation, we will go with all the other regions and stand behind the Tlicho. Same with the Sahtu, Dehcho, Akaitcho, the Gwich'in and also our southern brothers.
Q: You had some of the most forceful language about the federal and territorial governments. How do you think that helped you in the vote?
In my campaign, I said, "It's enough."
Let us now be a part of being, of building Canada.
This is our land. When is Canada and the territorial government going to understand?
I want to build a new relationship with Ottawa and the N.W.T. government. We will work with you. That doesn't mean we're going to become you.
Q: The chief's role in the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) got some criticism today. How do you imagine working with the AFN?
We have to sit down with the AFN national chief and we need to look at what they're doing to support the Dene in the Northwest Territories.
The AFN needs to support the off-reserve funding for our communities, because right now it's being directed to the N.W.T. government, as part of the federal funding formula.
We will work with AFN, but we need to make sure that we are taken care of and that's my job as national chief.
Q: Did you get a chance to speak to the other two candidates?
I spoke to all of them and thanked them.
I greatly appreciate and honour what they stand for and what they've done. It's not an easy job to put yourself out there because you're vulnerable. It's risky. Sometimes it's scary.
I really appreciate them because other candidates make you a better candidate.
They're still good friends.
With files from John Last, Priscilla Hwang
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