Tlicho grand chief seeks 3 months off

Tlicho Grand Chief Joe Rabesca wants to take time off the job, even as members of the fledgling N.W.T. aboriginal government say Rabesca's recent absences have ground their business to a halt.

Rabesca, a longtime Dene leader who was elected Tlicho grand chief just over a year ago, has been noticeably absent from the government assembly this week in Behchoko, N.W.T., marking the second consecutive assembly he has missed.

But Rabesca attended the assemblyon Thursday morning and asked the chiefs and other delegates to grant him three months off as grand chief.

He saidthe pressures he has faced on the job are getting to him, the CBC's Deneze Nakehk'o reported from Behchoko.

Following some deliberation, assembly members decided to postpone their decision until next week, when they plan to ask community members in the Tlicho region's four communities Whati, Behchoko, Wekweeti and Gameti to weigh in on the matter.

Led land claim efforts

Rabesca served as grand chief of the Tlicho, formerly known as the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council, leading the Dogrib people through years of negotiations toward a self-government and land-claim agreement with Ottawa in 2005.

After the claim was ratified, he chose not to seek re-election and was succeeded by George Mackenzie.

But Rabesca won back the Tlicho top job in September 2009, defeating Mackenzie and three other candidates in a grand chief election.

Rabesca's recent spate of absences from Tlicho assembly meetings make him eligible for impeachment under the aboriginal government's constitution.

Delegates to this week's assemblytried toencourageRabesca on Wednesday to attend meetings, but he refused.

He made only a brief appearance on Tuesday morning, when he told delegates that his political fate rests in their hands, then walked out.

Costly issue

Last month, the Tlicho government had to postpone its assembly in Whati because Rabesca was not going to attend, according to members. The assembly was rescheduled for this week, in Behchoko instead.

"This is an ongoing thing. Like, in Whati, when they had the assembly, they had to postpone [and] cancel the meeting," Tlicho member Mable Bohnet told CBC News on Wednesday.

Bohnet added that giventhe Tlicho government covers airfare, accommodations and other travel expenses for its delegates to attend such assemblies, Rabesca's absences have become costly.

"Because we're dealing with a person with a lot of history, a lot of good work that's been done in the past, people are still confused about what's happening," said John B. Zoe, a Tlicho government senior adviser.

Tlicho assembly delegates must decide whether to fire Rabesca, or give him the three months off he has requested and allow him to return to the job afterward. Members will also have to decide upon an interim grand chief.