Chiefs look to revamp AFN charter

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The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Confederacy was scheduled for May 6 to 8, but finished ahead of time on the second evening.

Addressing about 200 people, National Chief Matthew Coon Come broached the subject of Bill C-7, saying the First Nations governance act "hangs like a shadow over all our confederacies and assemblies," but said the chiefs had other important work to do.

"You can look at the program for this confederacy and see the many pressing issues we have to deal with: housing, health, youth and Elders, finding justice and resolution for our veterans and our residential school survivors. We have not forgotten these important issues. I wish we could devote all of our time and energy to these matters that affect our people on a daily basis. We want to direct our energy and effort into rebuilding our nations, strengthening our communities, engaging our citizens."

Rolland Pangowish, the resolutions co-ordinator at the meeting and director of the Treaties and Lands Unit at the Assembly of First Nations, said, "The entire assembly was pretty straightforward. We have a lot of legislation in front of the government."

Don Kelly, AFN communications director, agreed that the meeting went smoothly.

"Typically, confederacy meetings are more administrative in nature, not the forum for major changes, but a call for support, raising awareness and for ideas to be presented." He explained that resolutions from the confederacy meetings are generally brought back to the AFN office and reviewed "to make sure the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed," and become official when signed by the national chief.

Kelly noted that the first agenda item of the meeting concerned changes to the AFN charter. In its 20th year, some of it is outdated.

"There's been talk for a while, both informal and formal. At the annual general assembly in Kahnawake (last year) there was a resolution put forward to begin that work. It can't be compressed into three days, but the idea is to put it out there and get people thinking about it, for people to now talk with their communities and regions. Ultimately, the AFN takes direction from those people."

Said Coon Come on the changes: "I know that over the past 12 months we have faced many challenges as an organization, internal challenges and external challenges. . . Let's revitalize our assembly. Let's renew it. Strengthen it. Shape it into a vessel that takes us down the river and through the rapids."