Chief’s Update January 2025

Dear KFN Membership,

In December 2024, I was elected as Chief alongside Councilors Shirley Lamalice (Sub-Chief), Doug Cardinal, Lennie Fabian, Irene Graham, Nancy Norn-Lennie, and Joyce Studney, who were appointed by acclimation.  We started off the New Year with a well-attended feast and drum dance. 

On January 6,, 2025, the KFN Administration operations reopened. A few days later, on January 10, we held our first Chief and Council meeting. During this meeting, updates were provided regarding Agricultural Benefits, Negotiations, T’sudaa Kehondii Koe Daycare, the KFN Health and Wellness Department, and KFN Environmental and Lands Department.  The Finance Manager provided an update on housing development from the 2022 Flood and 2023 Fire.  From this update we learned that previous Chief and Council, in collaboration with INAC, hired Colliers Project Leaders to assist and provide a recovery action plan to address the ongoing housing concerns.

At a later date, Councilor Shirley Lamalice and I met with Mayor Candice Jamieson to discuss their current projects within the Town of Hay River, including the water treatment plant, landfill sites, Flood 2022, Fire 2023, the homeless shelter, Town of Hay River’s Healthy Communities Strategies planning, transitional housing and many more topics.

I also had the brief opportunity to meet Dene Nation Chief George Mackenzie to discuss the Child Welfare Compensation, and the upcoming Dene Nation Leadership Meeting, scheduled to take place in Deline from February 11-13, 2025.

Leadership from Deh Gah Gotie and I attended a board meeting with Evergreen Forestry Management to discuss preparations for the upcoming 2025 fire season, and the upcoming collective bargaining process, which is set to begin in the coming weeks.

On January 28, the Chief and Council held a regular meeting to discuss future governance training and orientation. During this meeting, we also addressed housing shortages, the selection process, and maintenance and funding needs for housing. We also identified the appointment of a new housing committee and a new Naegha Zhia Board of Directors as key priorities.

Before our term began, the previous Chief and Council hired a new CEO, Memory Murefu, in November 2024. Mrs. Murefu has been working diligently to address the issues we currently face and works effectively with the newly elected Chief and Council.

The Chief and Council would like to thank you for being incredibly patient and hope to work with membership and community members in the coming months. We are committed to keeping you informed and will provide further updates in the coming months.

Thank you,

Chief Elaine Auger