Former First Nations chief Shawn Atleo announced his resignation at a news conference in Ottawa earlier this year. The AFN will select a successor in December. Mr. Atleo is seen at a podium without a tie wearing a dark sports jacket and a blue striped dress shirt. Behind him is a large logo featuring what appears to be a red painted thunderbird on a drawing of a drum. A series of four feathers are visible dangling from the painted drum.

Former First Nations chief Shawn Atleo announced his resignation at a news conference in Ottawa earlier this year. The AFN will select a successor in December.
Photo Credit: Canadian Press / Adrian Wyld

AFN chiefs decide to hold early vote on new leader

Native leaders, who are currently in Halifax, Nova Scotia at their annual meeting, will elect a new head of the Assembly of First Nations sooner than later.

On Tuesday, the chiefs decided to hold a leadership vote in December in Winnipeg, Manitoba rather than wait until July 2015 when a convention had been scheduled to elect a new national chief.

Supporters of the move said recent Supreme Court decisions affecting First Nations made filling the position imperative.

The chiefs must replace  Shawn Atleo. He resigned in May over his support of the federal Conservative Party government’s efforts to reform on-reserve education.

The chiefs remain divided on the matter. Some see the bill as a government attempt to control aboriginal education. Others believe it`s a positive step towards helping First Nations children.

The chiefs were to debate education policies on Wednesday.

Categories: Environment & Animal Life, Indigenous, Society
Tags:

Do you want to report an error or a typo? Click here!

For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.