AFN must mature

Page 6

Phil Fontaine promised that he would build unity within the Assembly of First Nations. That couldn't come a better time. The assembly is an organization under siege with a $2 million deficit and the federal government threatening to end its funding.

The assembly is also an institution created by the chiefs to ensure that their collective voice would be heard in Ottawa. It is not made up of one man and it's time for the chiefs to remember their commitment to the assembly. To fail to recognize this commitment is to render the AFN an ineffective and lame-duck lobby group.

If the AFN is to be effective, it must receive the unconditional support of the chiefs, regardless of who the leader is. Far too often, the national chief is hamstrung by calls for his resignation, because some chief has his or her nose out of joint over some difference of opinion. These kind of actions undermine the national chief's position and tarnish his credibility.

If the national chief has to constantly mend fences between different factions within the AFN, how can he be a strong national voice?

Fontaine won the leadership through negotiation and compromise. He proved himself able to listen to concerns and respond to them. This is a good sign for the assembly. If any chief has concerns with Fontaine's actions, then approach him directly and voice them. Petty squabbles will do the AFN no good. If the national chief has to constantly break focus and address little crisis within the assembly, there is no possible way the organization can make progress on the number of truly important issues facing First Nations today.

It is now time for the AFN to enter a new phase of its political life. It is not fair to the national chief, or to all First Nations people, if chiefs feel they can switch allegiances at will.

The solution is simple: If you don't like what the national chief is doing, work in a positive way within the organization to make effective changes. And if that won't work, then vote him out in the next election.