APTN National News
WINNIPEG–Six of the eight candidates vying for the role of national chief of the country’s most influential First Nations organization squared-off in a debate which aired Thursday.
The hour-long debate featured incumbent AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo, Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus, Ryerson University professor Pam Palmater, Manitoba lawyer Joan Jack, former Roseau River First Nation chief Terry Nelson and former Treaty 3 grand chief Diane Kelly.
Technical difficulties kept Mohawk activist Ellen Gabriel from participating in the debate via Skype from Geneva. George Stanley, regional AFN chief for Alberta, was unavailable to participate.
Only chiefs can vote in the AFN election for national chief and the vote will be held in Toronto next Wednesday.
Atleo, who participated in the debate from Ottawa, stuck to his message of being the unity candidate and ignored the pointed criticism from some of his challenges.
“I think, as national chief over the last three years, of all the moments spent with families and with the kids especially. I think about Jaden, a 10 year-old boy in a northern remote community that I had a conversation with in his, really, one-room shack with no running water and no electricity and a slop pail out on the front porch,” said Atleo. “We have to achieve change for the Jadens across our respective territories that must compel our work going forward.”
Palmater, however, directly attacked Atleo and the AFN under his leadership.
“The status-quo is killing our people…various communities across the country are in crisis mode and we are not calling it a crisis at the AFN,” said Palmater. “The policy of appeasement at the AFN has not gained the AFN, or anyone else, any favours.”
Nelson took a different tact, while avoiding direct criticism of Atleo, he said the chiefs needed to send a message that they are not afraid of Ottawa.
“The AFN really messed up at the so-called Crown-First Nation gathering (in January)…They treated Harper as God, the chiefs were muzzled and what happened is you have massive cuts,” said Nelson. “People have to quit being afraid….the Americans are on our side, if you don’t get the Americans on your side, you are not going to get anything from Canada.”
Jack presented a starkly different vision for the AFN, saying the organization had to again reconnect with people in First Nation communities, prioritizing Indigenous languages, and let the regions drive the national organization’s agenda.
“Most of the people in our communities don’t understand they just get continually left behind by all of these discussions somewhere else,” said Jack. “The regions of the AFN must be empowered so they implement solutions that meet their own needs in their own territories.”
Kelly highlighted her experience as Treaty 3 grand chief saying she was both connected to the traditional teachings and the demands of dealing with the governments of the day.
“I have a long history of being educated by our elders about the spirit and intent of our treaties,” said Kelly. “It’s not about just going to government with our hand out, we can’t do that anymore…we have to just take action, we have to assert our inherent jurisdiction our inherent rights.”
Erasmus portrayed himself as the candidate who could bring a smooth shift in the current direction of the AFN to take a stronger stand on rights.
“Canada really has no jurisdiction over us whatsoever…the Canadian government is a lesser authority, the legislation they are trying to apply to us is illegal,” said Erasmus. “People know who I am. I think they are comfortable with me in this position and they know I am capable of doing the job.”
