Staffing changes at AFN

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The former press secretary to Indian Affairs Minister Robert Nault as press secretary to Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Phil Fontaine?

That could be what you'll see in the coming weeks.

Nancy Pine, a Garden River (Ontario) band member, left a reporter's position at CKCO television to join the minister's staff as press secretary. In June of 2002, she returned to CKCO after two years in Ottawa.

When she was contacted in early August about rumors she was about to become Fontaine's personal press secretary, she confirmed that she was "in negotiations" for the position but declined to comment further. The AFN's director of communications Don Kelly refused to comment on who would fill political positions on the new national chief's staff. But sources tell us the deal is almost done and Pine will assume the position shortly.

During her time as Nault's press secretary, Pine was once asked to leave a closed session of an AFN assembly after AFN staff discovered she was in the hall observing a debate about the First Nations governance package that the chiefs decided was closed to the media.

She later said she was there observing the chiefs' debate as a band member only. The package was eventually rejected by the chiefs-in-assembly, a decision which soured AFN/INAC relations.

Another possible hiring of note is Clarence "Manny" Jules, former chief of the Kamloops Indian Band and most recently chairman of the Indian Taxation Advisory Board. He's expected to become the national chief's political advisor or chief of staff, replacing Richard Powless of Six Nations who performed that function for Matthew Coon Come.

Jules is rumored to become the new chief of staff at the AFN having resigned as chairman of ITAB after being informed by the Indian Affairs minister that he could not hold both jobs at the same time.

Jules was recently removed as co-chair of the AFN's fiscal relations committee by a chiefs' resolution passed at a poorly attended special assembly in Ottawa.

He was disciplined by the chiefs for lobbying on behalf of Bill C-19, the fiscal institutions legislation, despite an AFN resolution rejecting the bill.

As chairman of ITAB he has worked closely with the minister of Indian Affairs to try to get C-19 passed into law.

Former Siksika First Nation (Alberta) chief Strater Crowfoot is next in line on the ITAB board to succeed Jules, but he is also executive director of Indian Oil and Gas Canada, a directorship within the department of Indian Affairs. New legislation dealing with oil and gas is ready for introduction in the House of Commons.

It's also expected that former Manitoba vice-chief Ken Young will soon be on his way to Ottawa to take a staff position in the Fontaine administration. Young holds a law degree. He handled the residential school and human resource development portfolios as vice-chief. A long-time Fontaine loyalist, he was defeated by Grand Chief Francis Flett in the recent Manitoba AFN vice-chief's election.

Dan Brant's job is also vacant. The chief executive officer of the AFN under Matthew Coon Come resigned shortly after the July 16 election. Shortly before that, in Edmonton after his boss was eliminated in the first ballot, he told Windspeaker he was not worried about losing his job when the new administration set up shop.