The annual meeting of the Assembly of First Nations was overflowing with accusations of corruption, a climate of toxicity and harassment in a crisis that the national chief says is a great opportunity for the organization to begin to heal.
The caciques approved a resolution on Thursday that says there is a “serious problem” within the AFN that is causing reputational damage to the organization that reflects the voice of the caciques in the assembly.
The resolution calls for a forensic review of his finances dating back at least a decade; a “third-party investigation into the climate of toxicity, harassment and lateral violence in the AFN”; and that the national head and the executive committee of AFN come together to heal their relations.
National chief RoseAnne Archibald said the turmoil of the past three days at the meeting is a necessary part of healing.
“This crisis is actually a great opportunity. We have taken this great opportunity to clear the AFN to start healing it to move forward in a good way. That’s what’s been created with all of this, so I think that’s what we need to focus on,” he told the media after the vote.
The dissent became public in mid-June when the assembly executive suspended Archibald while it launched an investigation into four complaints against him by his staff.
Archibald claimed that she was suspended for trying to investigate corruption within the organization and asked for the forensic audit.
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The bosses voted to reinstate her on Tuesday and a vote of no confidence in Archibald’s leadership was withdrawn from the assembly without a vote on Wednesday.
Archibald said he gave the bosses some information that convinced them it needed to be looked at. Staff payments and contracts issued by the AFN are his main concerns, he said.
“The truth is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. You release him and he will defend himself. This has always been about the truth.”
AFN initiates reviews on finances, bullying has a chance to heal, clean up: @ChiefRoseAnne. #AFN
Ahead of Thursday’s approval of the audit, some bosses raised concerns about the cost of the financial review, while others called it a necessary process to “establish the truth.”
Chief Lance Haymond of the Kebaowek First Nation in Quebec was the one who seconded the resolution. He said that the time had come for a new model of government for the assembly to connect with the people of it.
“It’s great that you know we’ve used this model for 40 years, but it’s broken,” he said. “Let’s get the job done. Let’s get the answers that the caciques ask for, and let’s work for a more renewed and better AFN that really responds to the realities that we have to live today.
Okanagan Indian Band Chief Byron Louis told delegates that the audit and other measures approved in the resolution will allow for a process that provides evidence.
“When you make accusations about corruption, gender bias, you know, nepotism and all that, you are launching that accusation against us because we are the assembly and that is something that must be made very clear.”
After the vote, Serpent River First Nation chief Brent Bisaillon walked to the microphone and expressed his disappointment “with the actions of the assembly” and announced that he would leave the meeting early.
“This is not leadership. This is not what our people expect of us as leaders,” she said.
“Our youth have called this assembly to inaction, and the last few days have been mired in drama and ego.”
Rosalie LaBillois, co-chair of the AFN youth council, said Wednesday that politics and disagreements over leadership at the meeting got in the way of indigenous issues that matter most.
The assembly, whose theme this year was “walk the path of healing,” began on Tuesday, a day after the AFN announced a $20 billion deal to compensate First Nations children and their families for the damage caused by chronic underfunding for child welfare on reservations.
The issues of the Pope’s visit, indigenous rights, housing and other priorities were expected to dominate the agenda. Instead, discussions of leadership dragged on for most of the three-day meeting.
Archibald thanked all the delegates at the close of the assembly.
“It’s so good to close this meeting as your duly elected national head,” he said.
Archibald assured the assembly that the leadership debate will lead to “evolutionary and transformative” change.
“I have always defended transparency, responsibility and truth, and what we hear in this assembly is that we all defend responsibility, transparency and truth,” he said.
“While not all bosses may agree on the way forward, on how we will get there, I know we will get there by working together. So now the real work begins.”
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on July 7, 2022.