AFN sets schedule for re-structuring

Page 2

A schedule for making changes to the way the Assembly of First Nations functions has been set. National Chief Matthew Coon Come laid out the timing for the process in his address to the chiefs at the December Confederacy in Ottawa.

Coon Come said he and the executive committee have come up with a draft plan that will be sent to the chiefs for their examination in preparation for a debate at the next chiefs meeting in April.

"There will be many options that we would want this assembly to entertain. And we will give you ample time," he told the chiefs. "We do have a draft. I think it's about 46 pages with various options. We will send that out ahead of time so you will have an opportunity to review it."

Okanagan First Nation Chief Dan Wilson questioned the national chief on one of the most controversial aspects of AFN re-organization.

"At the last AFN election we were led to believe we were going to have a national election for national chief. I believe we need to do that if we're really going to be respected as a government. Right now we're a corporate structure and we're just recognized as a lobby group. I'd like to ask the national chief if he plans to follow through with his campaign promise and allow each and every one of our band members to vote for a national chief," he said.

"I made that recommendation but I alone cannot make that happen and I do lead the assembly," Coon Come responded. "So that will go out for the April confederacy, then we can debate it and look at the re-structuring of our organization. And [it will be finalized] at the annual general assembly which is the only entity that we have-they're the only ones that can amend the charter or approve it in reference to our constitution."

Further details were not released, although the national chief provided a few clues during an interview with Windspeaker.

"We hope to engage in some serious dialogue among ourselves on where we sit as nations-the Cree Nation, the Mohawk Nation, the Haida Nation. We need a structure like the United Nations because of our diversity," he said. "We'll also be looking at the roles of the vice-chiefs who are elected by their regions. Should there be other people, other than the national chief, who are elected by the people so they can focus on national issues? We've also talked about looking at the chiefs committees and what role they play. Are they advisory roles or decision-making? And what relation does that have to the executive committee? We're looking at the whole overall structure. It's long overdue. We felt that it's imperative and the only way you can do it is by the annual general assembly."

Coon Come was asked if he felt it was important the AFN wean itself from government funding that it is presently so dependent on.

"You and I know that as long as we, as a national organization, are totally dependent on the department [of Indian Affairs] we are at their mercy and are restricted as to what we can do-no room for flexibility. So I certainly would concur that we need to look at how we can be independent if we really believe in a national organization and how we want to set ourselves up. Hopefully, we'll be able to discuss those monetary aspects," he replied.