Tlicho leadership dispute ends with support for grand chief

An internal battle that threatened to divide the young Tlicho aboriginal government in the Northwest Territories ended with Grand Chief George Mackenzie not only keeping his job, but receivingstrong support from his members.

About 170 elders, councillors and other citizens from the Tlicho's four communities gave Mackenzie a standing ovation at a special assembly in Behchoko late Thursday afternoon, after he gave a speech defending his leadership and seeking their support.

Earlier that day, Behchoko Chief Leon Lafferty had detailed why he and two of the Tlicho's four sub-chiefs wanted Mackenzie to step down, alleging that he did not have the leadership skills to run the two-year-old government.

But the dissenting chiefs' challenge wilted after the special assembly heard from Mackenzie, with Lafferty who had been the most vocal in demanding the grand chief's resignation striding over and shaking Mackenzie's hand.Others followed suit as the applause continued.

A relieved Mackenzie later said it felt like a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"The attention was overwhelm[ing]," Mackenzie said. "Everywhere I go people are looking and wanting to ask, 'What's going on? What's happening?'"

Mackenzie was voted to a four-year term as grand chief in 2005, shortly after the Tlicho formerly known as the Dogrib formed their own government.

Earlier this month, Lafferty, Gameti chief Henry Gon and Whati Chief Charlie Nitsiza publicly asked Mackenzie to quit. The fourth chief, Wekweeti Chief Charlie Football, did not side with his fellow chiefs on the matter.

But both Gon and Nitsiza said Thursday that they never thought their disagreement with Mackenzie would blow up into such a big deal. They echoed Mackenzie's sentiment about the need for everyone work together.

One of the last decisions made during the special assembly was to heal the political wounds Thursday night with a traditional Tlicho tea dance.