RoseAnne Archibald made her point at the Assembly of First Nations’ annual general meeting Tuesday morning, after weeks of political uncertainty following the suspension of the National Chief last month. Ms Archibald faces competing efforts in the assembly to remove her from her role or support her continued leadership. During her submissions, Ms Archibald argued that her suspension was unlawful. She doubled down on her allegations of corruption within the AFN, calling it “the most widely known secret in Indian country”. He also laid out a sweeping vision of a “new AFN”, in which AFN staff would be transferred to a new company that he said would be based on First Nations culture and values. “I’m asking you to stand with me in this positive vision for the future,” Ms. Archibald told the room of hundreds of First Nations chiefs and observers gathered at the Vancouver Convention Center, as well as virtually. The court rejected AFN National Chief RoseAnne Archibald’s bid to overturn the suspension There are strong differences of opinion regarding the suspension of the National Leader. While Ms Archibald has accused the AFN executive committee of overreaching in its decisions, executive committee members have defended their actions and expressed concerns about potential legal liability arising from the case. It was recently revealed that four AFN staff had accused Ms Archibald of bullying and harassment, prompting an external investigation. She had previously been the subject of several informal complaints of harassment and intimidation by employees while in her role as regional head of Ontario. Ahead of the convention, it was unclear whether the National Chief would be allowed to attend, as Ms Archibald had initially been excluded from the executive committee. The AFN eventually agreed to a format that allowed 30 minutes of speaking time for the National Chief, as well as the executive committee, which was represented by Nova Scotia/Newfoundland Regional Chief Paul Prosper and New Brunswick Regional Chief Joanna Bernard. Mr Prosper said the decision to suspend the National Chief was not an easy one and was based on “many long days and many long nights”. He called on the assembly to follow a “middle way” – in the form of a resolution proposed by the executive committee and moved by Rosanne Casimir, Kúkpi7 (Chief) of Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc. The resolution called for the National Chief’s pay to be temporarily suspended until an investigation into the allegations is completed. That resolution, however, failed in a vote Tuesday afternoon — a decision that drew applause from the room. Two other draft emergency resolutions relating to Ms Archibald’s leadership are also being tabled: one calling for an end to the “unfounded” suspension and her request for a forensic audit of the AFN to be granted, while the other calls for the immediate removal of the National Chief from the his duties. and appoint a temporary leader. The two resolutions are to be voted on on Wednesday. The AFN’s executive committee and board of directors suspended Archibald last month pending the outcome of investigations into four allegations against her.DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press Mr Prosper also said he and his colleagues were not opposed to a forensic review and would “welcome it” if chiefs wanted it. In her remarks, Ms Bernard said the executive committee was trying to see through a fair investigation into the workplace, which the National Chief’s actions had made “almost impossible”. He also said that on July 1, Ms Archibald made suggestions that a “long list of AFN contractors” over the years were involved in some sort of corruption. “None of these matters were ever raised with the executive committee or the workplace investigator, instead the National Chief continues to send them out in e-mails and speeches and on Twitter,” he said. “And now some of these contractors on this list are writing and telling AFN that they may have claims for release [that] list.” Ms. Archibald did not hold back in her categorization of the AFN and its executive committee, calling the current AFN structure a “threat” to the sovereignty, jurisdiction and survival of First Nations First Nations communities. “How many of your regional leaders shared the full disclosure with you? All the facts. I don’t think many,” he said. Ms Archibald said her suspension came as a result of telling the truth about corruption at AFN and sending information about “questionable contracts”. The day began as a group of several dozen people gathered outside the convention center to support the National Leader, before she led a procession into the main assembly hall. Among the speakers who took to the microphone in the morning, Doug Kelly spoke of the need to avoid adding to the “burden of treatment” for those in the current convention, which continues through Thursday. “Our organization is in a difficult position. We have to fix it, but we have to fix it with love, kindness and respect,” he said. For subscribers: Get exclusive political news and analysis by subscribing to Political information.
