Chiefs vote to call for minister's resignation

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The vote on a resolution calling for Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault's resignation was passed by a narrow margin after a lively debate at the Assembly of First Nations Confederacy on Dec. 6.

Only 111 of the 143 registered chiefs and proxies were around for the vote on the morning of the last day. The vote to approve the resolution was close, 55 to 46, with 10 abstentions. That works out to 51 per cent in favor. A simple majority carries a resolution at Confederacy meetings. Sixty per cent is required at annual general meetings.

The minister was clearly aware of the nature of some of the discussion. He didn't think the call for his head would have much effect, but he wasn't happy about some of the comments made during interviews after the resolution was passed.

"I don't think it'll have any impact on the work that we're doing on the First Nations governance initiative. The reason why I say that is because this is not about personalities. This is not about . . . I don't think it's appropriate, really, to get into the kind of language that was used by some of the chiefs in interviews," he said. "I'm not going to allow a debate that's so important to Aboriginal people to get to that low level. We need to stick to the high road and have discussions, not about our personalities, but more importantly about the lack of structure vis-a-vis governance and what governance has to offer as it relates to building an economy and improving the lives of First Nations citizens. I have always kept the door open for the Assembly of First Nations. I very much appreciate the fact that the national chief and the executive, in a meeting two weeks or so before the Confederacy, we agreed with each other on a joint work plan that was presented to the Confederacy that we could work together."

Shuswap Tribal Council President Art Manuel made the motion citing the "arrogant attitude of the minister."

"He has said my way or the highway to the chiefs of Canada. The minister has been closing the door to any sort of dialogue that shows any real understanding and real movement towards the kind of changes that we need as Indigenous people," Manuel said.

Manuel, chief of B.C.'s Neskonlith band, told the chiefs they needed to send a message to the government.

"I understand that the Assembly of First Nations has suffered economic losses in terms of the kinds of financial contributions that the federal government makes to us. But that's the cost of making tough decisions," he said, in response to chiefs who worried out loud a call for the minister's resignation would close and lock the door to negotiations with the government. "The kind of tough decision that the national chief made in South Africa, I think, really embarrassed Canada, and that's one of the reasons why Canada has cut back on funding. I think in terms of the positions that we took with respect to the First Nations governance, that's going to cost money, too. Like, nothing is free. You can't expect to get $20 million a year from the federal government and fight them at the same time. Twenty might go 10 and 10 might go to six. Those are the costs of the decisions we made collectively here."

He said the chiefs should not blame the national chief or the executive for decisions arrived at by a vote of assembly. He urged the chiefs to get behind the decisions of the national body.

"Asking for the resignation of the minister of Indian Affairs is one way to send a clear signal because his reputation as a minister was based upon his ability to pass the First Nations governance act and the fact that we rejected it, we have to stand behind that and say we need a new person that will look at this in a broader scope," Manuel added.

Then things started to get ugly.

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Dennis White Bird, whose organization called for Nault's resignation months ago, asked for an amendment to the resolution that showed his frustration with the minister.

"The last 'be itresolved' in the resolution talked about the honorable Robert Nault. I think 'honorable' should be taken out. He's not very honorable in our book," he said.

The mover and seconder agreed to the amendment.

Others, including Chief Louis Quill of Pikangikum spoke in favor. Then Vice-chief Bill Erasmus had his say. Noting that Nault was the seventh minister he's worked with, the N.W.T. vice-chief said he couldn't support the motion.

"Never has the prime minister taken our advice when we take this kind of action," he said. "I can't support the motion. I won't vote against it, but I believe we need reconciliation. We need to be able to work with other people. We need to be able to work with other governments. Are we really going to influence anything by asking him to resign?"

Ojibways of Sucker Creek (Ont.) Chief Patrick Madahbee decided the time was right to tell a joke at the minister's expense before urging the executive to get to work on a comprehensive communications strategy that would put the chiefs' position on governance before the public in a favorable light.

Why does that brain on the top shelf cost $1 million? he asked as he told the assembly his joke. "Because that one belonged to a minister of Indian Affairs-it was never used."

Musqueum First Nation (B.C.) Chief Ernie Campbell told the chiefs the motion was the wrong thing to do.

"I don't know if this is the answer," he said. "I know there is going to be a cabinet shuffle and he's going to stay where he is whether we ask for his resignation or whatever. I know we shut the door yesterday. I guess this resolution is going to go ahead. We probably locked the door now. You have to remember. He just gets his marching orders from above, from cabinet, from Treasury. If you want to ask for his resignation, you might as well ask for the resignation of his bosses, the people who are telling him what to do-cabinet, Treasury. Ask for Chretien's resignation. Asking for his resignation, it's not going to help anyhing. It's not going to happen."

Williams Lake First Nation (B.C.) proxy Nancy Sandy warned the chiefs the move would not make them look good.

"I really don't understand how Aboriginal nations in this country can claim an inherent right to self-government and at the same time hang on to the fiduciary relationship they say this Indian agent has with us. I can understand the fiduciary relationship based on the Indian Act . . . but if we're truly sovereign nations as we claim, then there is no fiduciary. We don't have a parent to make decisions for us, to put our trust in. We are the parents if we're truly sovereign. I can't support this resolution because you say in the first sentence that Canada has a fiduciary responsibility. It's a hard thing to let go of and it's been with us for so many years. But I can't accept the fact that Canada continues to be our parent if we're truly sovereign. How many times, Art, have any one of our chiefs here have been asked to resign because the nay-sayers in our communities don't agree with us?" she asked. "How many times has the national chief been asked to resign because the chiefs in assembly don't agree with him?"

She said "you can't just hang your head and fight. You have to stand your ground and fight."

Chief Mike Mitchell said he couldn't support the resolution because the Two Row Wampum Treaty prohibited his people from interfering in the other side's government.

"The white man has crossed over . . . but we have strived to adhere to the principles of the Two Row. We can't tell their government how to govern," he said.