The next Dene National Chief will be elected on July 24.
Voting will open on July 14. Ballots can be cast online, or in-person, at the Dene National Assembly in Fort Good Hope.
There are a record six candidates in the running this year.
As campaigns get underway, NNSL Media reached out to the six candidates with a set of identical questions.
The second to provide answers was former Tlicho grand chief George Mackenzie.
What is your age?
"Old enough to be mature."
Where do you live?
Behchoko
What is your experience?
"Classroom teacher, vice principal at Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School (CBJS), CBJS culture coordinator, president of Tlicho Investment corporation, two terms grand chief of Tlicho Government."
What made you decide to run for the position?
"We need changes through modernizing the Dene Nation constitution. We need to fast track the constitution to fit the needs of the five regions. Some have settled their land claims with self government, finished land claims, and some [have] ongoing claims. We need to finish the unsettled claims faster. The constitution will glue the Dene Nation [together] faster and better. Right now the Dene Nation is not being fully meaningful to some regions. Dene Nation will not speak for the region but will lobby on their behalf."
Wildfires are becoming a recurring threat to NWT communities. What should be the Dene Nation’s role in addressing this?
"All five region have a land base. We see our land burning right in front of our own eyes, [it's] sad. Five regions have to be the key players in management of putting out the fires. Not just a recommending body."
A shortage of housing is a widespread problem. How would you propose to get more homes built in the near future?
"Every region should get their own budget to build their own houses, create their own sawmill with all those burnt logs, or build one sawmill that all the five regions could own and run the sawmill. Create some jobs."
How damaging to relations with the Dene Nation was the GNWT’s caribou seizure from the Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation’s culture camp in September 2022? How would you like to see this resolved?
"The caribou seizure should have never happen in Lutsel K'e, right in tents too. No respect. No regards to our treaty rights. The faster we as Dene take over the [the GNWT Department of Environment and Natural Resources] the better. It's damaging our cultural activities, on our land. It is not ENR land. My dad once said ENR will be trouble for us as Dene people some day. Caribou seizure is an example."
The federal government recently contributed $5 million to advance a Denendeh Investments-operated prospective iron, copper and gold mine near Great Bear Lake. How important is mining to the NWT’s economy?
"It is a good move. The two regions, Sahtu and Tlicho, will benefit. It will help the economy of the North. The diamond mines are slowing down. We have to be prepared."