Experience will serve candidate well if elected

Chief Bill Wilson believes his experience makes him the logical choice to become the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN)
"Someone needs to be there to fill the huge shoes that Phil Fontaine will leave for us," said Wilson, the chief of the Kwawkgewlth-Musgamagw nation from northern Vancouver Island.
"We have a huge job to fill. And I do know I have the proven experience. Together the other four candidates don't have the experience that I have."
Wilson, 65, is confident he's the man to succeed Fontaine as he himself has 40 years of experience at the national level. And he's even worked closely with Fontaine in the past.
"I've known him for 45 years," said Wilson, who served as Fontaine's special political advisor on British Columbia's Aboriginal issues from 1997 through 2000.
Wilson believes he also has another advantage over the other four candidates.
"They have qualities and characteristics," he said, "but not one of them has been at the constitutional table arguing our rights."
A highlight of Wilson's career occurred back in March of 1983 in Ottawa. He was a negotiator at the First Constitutional Conference on Aboriginal Issues. He was among those that helped to draft and successfully negotiate the first and only amendment to the country's Constitution.
This amendment became the foundation of recent court victories and helped to change both federal and provincial laws and policies and the approaches of Aboriginal people.
Wilson is no stranger to the AFN, having previously held a pair of posts. He was the AFN's vice-chief from 1990 to 1991 and its political secretary from 1991to 1992.
Should he be chosen as national chief of the AFN, Wilson would have plenty of work on his plate.
"I have no criticisms of the Assembly of First Nations," he said. "But the average Indian person sees no relevance in that group. I would like to change that."
Wilson believes his eloquence will engage others.
"I'm a very, very good speaker," he said. "If you can't get a message across, nobody will be listening and they won't remember it."
Wilson said he's realized the importance of having solid public speaking skills ever since a Grade 6 speech that he fumbled his way through. He now considers his oratorical skills one of his greatest strengths.
Wilson credits Fontaine for raising awareness of Aboriginal issues in recent years. And he's confident he can continue to do so.
"I have those connections to raise our profile," said Wilson, who boasts of his negotiation and mediation skills at the local, provincial and national levels.
Wilson has a plethora of contacts with various business leaders, labour groups, industries, churches and other segments of Canadian society.
If chosen to head up the AFN, there are plenty of issues that Wilson plans to focus on. Two issues he would concentrate his efforts on are poverty and education.
"I know we have to deal with the basic poverty and the basic lack of opportunity to succeed," he said. "We have to encourage our people to be the best of the best."
Wilson finds it appalling that even today there are numerous First Nations across Canada that do not have proper water facilities or power.
"It's 2009, for heaven's sake," he said.
Wilson believes numerous programs have to be put in place to train Aboriginal people for various jobs. If elected, he said he would, in part, do so by forming coalitions with labour groups.
Wilson added he's understood the importance of a strong work ethic ever since the age of nine when he ran a fish camp for his father.
Wilson said one of the reasons he's been successful is because he's well educated; he has a pair of university degrees. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in political science and English, from the University of Victoria. He also has a law degree from the University of British Columbia.
Wilson believes his years of experience will also be a plus when it comes to dealing with the federal government.
"I think sadly it is strained," he said of the relationship between First Nations and Canadian leaders, adding at times one's political affiliations seem to be a distraction from dealing with the real issues at hand.
Wilson added he's a big believer all people should be treated as equals. He said as an Native person, he's never felt inferior to other Canadians. And he would do his utmost to ensure other Aboriginals adopt this line of thinking.
And under his everyone-should-be-treated-equal stance, Wilson said an AFN run by him would continue to concentrate on women's issues, as the group has done in recent years.
"We have to co-operate with women's groups and ensure their rights are maintained," he said.
Wilson added he's a big supporter of rights for all gays, lesbians, transgender people and other minorities.