Chief and Council

CURRENT: ELECTED CHIEF AND COUNCIL

The Chief and Council play a crucial role in the governance and decision-making in the community. The Chief is the elected leader who represents the community and acts as the main liaison between the community and the federal and provincial governments. The Council is made up of elected members who work together with the Chief to make decisions for the betterment of our community. They are responsible for creating and implementing laws, managing resources, and developing policies that reflect the values and needs of our community.
The current elected Chief and Council for the term ending in 2027 are the following:

Chief Eugene Hope

Assistant (Sub) Chief Donny Bertand *

Councillor Brenda Berreault

Councillor Angus Capot Blanc Jr

Councillor Kotee Lee

Councillor Morris McLeod

Councillor Dennis Nelson

* (elected by vote of Council in July 2025)

DATES OF IMPORTANCE:

  • Date: June – August 2027
Following the elections of Chief and Council on August 22, 2024, the current Chief and Council are the official governing body of #758 Indian Band as registered with Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada for a period of three years, in accordance with the Custom Election Code of Acho Dene Koe First Nation. Accordance with the Band’s Custom Election Code (2022), the next elections for Acho Dene Koe First Nation will be no sooner then June 2027 and no later than August 21, 2027.
  • Date: July 7, 2025

A by-election was held to fill the two vacant council positions.

Four interested participants submitted their nominations. Only two of the four qualified to serve on Council in accordance with the Election Code. The two remain candidates were acclaimed – Angus Capot Blanc Jr and Kotee Lee.

  • Date: September 9, 2024

The most recent election of Chief and Council occurred August 22, 2024. The election was conducted under the terms of the Custom Election Code (2022) with 248 members voting. Eugene Hope was re-elected as Chief with 64% of the votes, followed by Brenda Berreault with 30%, and Vanessa Villeneuve-Timbre with 6%.

No election of councillors was held as Brenda Berreault, Morris McLeod, Dennis Nelson, and Donny Bertrand were acclaimed as Council members.

PRIORITIES FOR THE COUNCIL TERM

The Chief and Council have outlined the following initial priorities for their three-year term:
  1. Hire a consultant to develop a new Community Comprehensive Plan, as the current plan covers the period from 2018 to 2023. The new plan will identify priorities to be addressed within this term. 
  2. Work towards the priorities set forth in the Community Wellness Plan alongside the Community Comprehensive Plan during this council term. 
  3. Review and revise mandates for negotiations with Canada, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, and Yukon to promote effective progress in reaching agreements. 
  4. Develop mandates for negotiating settlement agreements for specific claims with Canada, addressing each claim as they are agreed to by Canada for negotiation and when Canada fails to acknowledge the claim advance with litigation against the federal government. 
  5. Resolve the appointment of new board members for the Acho Dene Koe Group of Companies, selecting qualified professionals to enhance the Indigenous government’s economic development corporation. 
  6. Facilitate the review and creation of a new Strategic Business Plan for the Acho Dene Koe Group of Companies, as the existing plan has expired as of 2024. 
  7. Advance more effective results-based annual government-to-government meetings with the Government of Northwest Territories.
  8. Secure the completion of early governance of the Hamlet prior to reaching a finalized land claim and self-government agreement for the Northwest Territories negotiations with the Crowns.
  9. Create a mechanism that supports more effective communication and engagement with the members of Acho Dene Koe First Nation. 
  10. Create a periodical review of the priorities with the intent to modify accordingly to respond to changes as warranted.