The resolution, proposed by Chief Wendy Jocko of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, Ont., directs the Chiefs Committee on Charter Renewal to conduct a review of financial policies and practices and report back with recommendations to the AFN Executive Committee. The resolution passed, with 75 percent of the leaders and delegates present voting in favor. A total of 148 leaders and proxies voted in favor of the resolution, while 50 voted against. There were 18 abstentions. “We as chiefs deserve to know what’s going on within our organization,” said Lance Haymond, head of Kebaowek in Quebec, who sponsored the resolution. Kluane Adamek, Yukon regional chief and chair of AFN’s management committee, said she signed the latest check on Sunday. “From our perspective and the information that was shared, I didn’t see any concerns with the information that I reviewed as part of the management committee and as chair,” he told the assembly. Lance Haymond, chief of the Kebaowek First Nation in Quebec, adopted an emergency resolution calling for a review of AFN’s financial practices. (Ka’nhehsí:io Deer/CBC) The Charter Renewal Leaders’ Committee, made up of leaders who look at governance issues, will examine how the current contracting practice and process is conducted, review policies and procedures related to transparency and accountability, and conflicts of interest. The resolution also directs the commission to make recommendations on whether an independent, third-party forensic audit of the past 10 years, focusing on recent salary payments and contracts, is required.
‘a victory’
The lengthy resolution also directs the national chief and executive committee to initiate a reconciliation process and the Chiefs’ Committee on Charter Renewal to implement a previous resolution adopted in 2020 to eliminate gender discrimination within the organization, in conjunction with an independent third party – partisan inquiry into the climate of toxicity, intimidation and lateral violence. “Many of the staff have already contacted me to tell me how we are going to start moving forward, and we are already thinking about how to bring the elders into the process, how to do a healing process so that we can move forward together,” said the National Leader RoseAnne Archibald. The resolution comes from Archibald’s support. District leaders suspended her last month after she made public statements accusing four staff members of demanding more than $1 million in severance pay. He also called for a forensic audit into corruption within the agency. Reacting to the resolution being passed, Archibald said it is not a personal victory but a victory for leaders in the assembly who want transparency and accountability. “It’s a win for them,” he said. “It’s a victory for all the grassroots people who have been asking for this for many years.” Thursday is the final day of the 43rd annual general meeting, Walking the Healing Path, in Vancouver. Several federal ministers are expected to address the assembly on Thursday afternoon. Before addressing the convention, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said: “It’s important that the AFN continues to make these decisions for itself about how they want to report to their members. “This is obviously something that is an internal decision for the AFN and we will be here to support them in these processes.”
Committee member says resources will be needed
The charter renewal committee currently has a number of vacancies. Khelsilem, president-elect of the Squamish Nation, is on the committee and said he hopes the resolution will give his many projects a boost. “I hope that a lot of work will be done in the next two months so that we will be ready to take forward as many recommendations from the general meeting in December,” Khelsilem said. Khelsilem is the president-elect of the Squamish Nation and sits on the Chiefs Committee for Charter Renewal. (Ka’nhehsí:io Deer/CBC) However, he is concerned that the committee will not receive the resources needed to complete this work — be it legal, technical or communication support. “Certainly significant resources will be needed to support this project,” he said. “If we are not able to start making some necessary changes, I worry about the effectiveness of the organization to be able to deliver the result that it needs to deliver.”
