National chief's religion cause for discussion

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There were whispers along the campaign trail about it, but debate started in earnest outside the Ottawa Civic Centre on July 12 when Treaty 3 Grand Chief Leon Jourdain, a Phil Fontaine supporter, slammed Matthew Coon Come for his Pentecostal Christian beliefs, and an alleged lack of respect for traditional spirituality.

#It was a last ditch effort to sway support to Fontaine, who was trailing after the first ballot in the national chief's election. Campaign watchers had the religion issue in the cross hairs for weeks, but the Fontaine camp failed to pull the trigger.

During his concession speech, Fontaine said he'd instructed his campaign staff to "take the high road," and that may explain why the weapon wasn't used - until it was far too late.

As Jourdain, a follower of traditional spiritual practices, raised the issue with several chiefs, Coon Come waded into the middle of the gathering and challenged Jourdain head on, denying that he had ever been critical of traditional practices.

Cara Currie, then Coon Come's campaign manager and now his personal political attache, said he never shied away from the issue.

"Let's get one thing straight right now," she told Windspeaker. "Matthew comes at spirituality from a position of strength, not weakness. He didn't shy away from it at all. He said, 'This is not what I said. This is what I said.' And he did say this: 'If you don't want to vote for me because of what I believe spiritually, that's OK, too."

Currie said Coon Come and Jourdain had heated words in Ottawa but walked away from the encounter after deciding to put any bitterness behind them.

"On the spot at the election, they made up," she said. "Matthew said, 'Come on now, let's agree,' and they shook hands and then they hugged and the people around them applauded."

But talk on the religion question was again provoked immediately after Coon Come was elected. Unlike Fontaine three years earlier in Vancouver, the former grand chief of the James Bay Crees failed to don a headdress and robe of office for his victory speech and people wondered why.

Coon Come dealt directly with the issue during his victory speech, saying he would fight to defend the rights of traditional people to practice traditional spirituality. He said he strongly believed in freedom of religion for all people.

By the time Windspeaker's reporter returned from covering the election in Ottawa, there was a phone message waiting from a resident of Coon Come's home territory, saying the people should be told the new national chief had little respect for traditional spirituality.

Newly elected politicians usually get a "honeymoon" period with the press. The hard questions wait until the new person has settled into the job. But the whispering campaign seemed to have the potential to become a real threat to his credibility.

Then came a press release from Jourdain that said that although he hadn't supported Coon Come during the campaign, he now offered his "tentative support." In the press release Jourdain again mentioned the issue of religion.

AFN political advisors saw Jourdain's press release as an attempt to mend some political fences.

Coon Come, in an exclusive interview with this paper on Ermineskin Cree Nation territory in Alberta on Aug. 6, stated simply that he was amused people would be willing to make political trouble for him on that front.

"I think that's always the case," he said. "There are people who are pushing their beliefs on other people and their own cultures on other people. We all come from different cultures, different spiritualities and I believe we should be allowed to take our own spiritual journey. That is the reality of the First Nations - we're diversified. We have our cultures, our own language, our own beliefs and our own customs."

His staff had arranged for the interview to take place while he awaited the start of the grand entry at the Ermineskin powwow, an event in which he was to participate. The interview tok place inside a tipi while powwow dancers put the finishing touches on their regalia.

"We don't have powwows like this back home," he said, making his point that there isn't only one Indigenous culture. "So, for me, I respect that and I'm here to participate and it sends strong signals that I'm willing to respect the traditions, customs and cultures of other peoples and be able to help promote that, too."

Asked if he intentionally declined to wear the headdress and robe the night of the election, the national chief said no.

"No, it happened so fast," he said.

He said his nominator, Ermineskin Cree Chief Gerry Ermineskin, asked him to attend the powwow and participate in a Plains Cree ceremony.

"I had to go along with Gerry Ermineskin and how they wanted to do it. They were the ones who were spearheading it. I came here for the office and to work, you know? But these are things that come along with the territory."

In other words, since he doesn't have a background in a specific traditional spirituality, he could have selected any traditional culture for the ceremony that marked his elevation to national chief and he chose to show his respect for the people who nominated him for the office.

He said there's no reason he can't represent people of all cultures politically.

"You're bound to hit someone who's not satisfied or feels left out. The same with issues. I can talk about 17 issues and someone will say, 'What about my issue?'"

Coon Come received a headdress at Ermineskin, Alta. after a ceremony conducted by two traditional Elders as he sat on a buffalo robe. He spoke to the people after the ceremony.

"This is a good day," he said. "A time to celebrate and remember who we are. Today you can see our culture's alive and well."