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6TuesdayDecember162014POLITICSFIRSTNATIONSNewAFNchiefputsfocusonresourceownershipByMEAGANWOHLBERGItmayhavebeenaland-slidevictoryfortheAssem-blyofFirstNationsAFNnewNationalChiefPerryBellegardelastWednesdaybutmixedresponsestotheelectionbyfragmentedindig-enouspeoplesacrossCanadashowtherealworkforthetopchiefbeginsnow.TheformerchiefoftheFed-erationofSaskatchewanIn-dianNationstookthewinintherstballotwith291votesfromchiefsor63percent.GhislainPicardtheassem-blysregionalchiefforQue-becandLabradorreceived25percentofthevotewith136ballotsafternishinghistermasinterimchieffollow-ingShawnAtleosresigna-tionearlierthisyear.FormerTreaty3GrandChiefLeonJourdainreceived35votes.AFNelectionrulesre-quireacandidatetogarneraminimumof60percentofeligiblevotestobenamednationalchief.InhisacceptancespeechBellegardespokestronglyaboutFirstNationsowner-shipoflandsandresources.Fortoolongwehavebeendispossessedofourhome-landsandthewealthofourrightfulinheritance.Canadawillnolongerdeveloppipe-linestransmissionlinesoranyotherinfrastructureonourlandsbusinessasusualhesaid.FirstNationspeoplewillopposeanydevelopmentwhichdeprivesourchildrenofthelegacyofourances-tors.Wewillnolongeracceptpovertyandhopelessnesswhileresourcecompaniesandgovernmentsgrowfatoffourlandsandterritoriesandresources.Ifourlandsandresourcesaretobedevelopeditwillbedoneonlywithourfairshareoftheroyaltiesourownershipoftheresourcesandjobsforourpeople.Itwillbedoneonourowntermsandourtimeline.BellegardecommittedtorenewingAFNscharterworkingtowardsaninquiryonmissingandmurderedAboriginalwomenandpush-ingforrightsandtitlewhichhecalledunnishedtreatybusiness.HealsocalledforunityamongafracturedAFNsay-ingWeneedthecirclebacknowandIaskforthatinahumbleway.TheAFNwasleftindis-arrayearlierthisyearwhenAtleoquitovercomplaintsfromchiefsabouthiscoop-erationwithCanadaonacontroversialFirstNationseducationbill.SincethenformerAFNcandidatesandalargepartoftheindigenousgrassrootshavebeencallingouttheorgani-zationasobsoleteandunrep-resentativeofcommunities.WhilecontendersPicardandJourdainsaidtheywouldnotreachouttoStephenHarperifelectedBellegardetookamoremoderatestanceimmediatelytweetingoutathankstotheprimeminis-tersayingIlookforwardtospeakingwithyousoon.RenewedfocusontreatiesresourcesFormerchiefFrancoisPauletteanelderfromSmithsLandingFirstNa-tionnearFortSmithwasattheelectionsinWinni-pegasaproxyvoter.HesaidthelandslidevictorybyBellegardesignalschiefswhovotedarekeenontheissuesoftreatiesandre-sourceextraction.TheformernationalchiefAtleohecamefromanon-treatybasearea.PerrycomesfromSaskatchewanhehadthetreatylewiththeAFNsoIthinktheirthinkingwasthattheyneedtogetbacktotalkingaboutthetreatiesPaulettesaid.SecondlyPaulettesaidtherewasastrongfocusonresourcedevelopmentattheassemblygatheringwhichputtheprairieprovincesattheforeandcouldbewhychiefsselectedsomeonewithatreatybackgroundtoleadtheway.TheotherissuewasthattreatyFirstNationsneedtogetabiggershareoftheequi-tiesandrightstotheirlandsandresourcerevenueshar-inghesaidnotingtherewasalotofdiscussiononproposedpipelines.Theprairieprovincesthathavenaturalresourcetransferacts-AlbertaSas-katchewanandManitoba-havereallybeenwantingtoadvancethesetalks.Theresbeennorealforumforthemtodothat.Paulettesaiditsnotoftenthatnationalchiefsarevic-toriousintherstroundofvotingwhichsignalsstrongsupportamongtheassemblythoughBellegardewillhavehisworkcutoutforhimingainingthesupportofFirstNationscommunities.HeneedstorebuildthetrustofthepeoplePaulettesaid.Theresalotofmistrustalotofunderlyingfeelings.Peopleneedtoreallyregroupreorganizeandlookathowtheycaneffectivelyworkto-getherasindigenouspeople.HesaidthathastohappenbeforetheAFNcanmenditsrockyrelationshipwiththefederalgovernment.FirstwevegottoturntherelationshiparoundwithintheAFNassemblyPaulettesaid.Thatswherethepowerbaseis.Buildunitybuildtrustbuildforumswherepeopleareworkingtogether.Andthen-then-youcanstarttalkingabouthowtobuildarelationshipwithCanadaonabasisofnation-to-nation.Criticalresponseto2014assemblyThelatestelectionempha-sizedstrongfeelingsofapathyanddisregardfortheAFNamongindigenouspeoplesacrossCanadawithgroupslikeIdleNoMoreandDefend-ersoftheLandexpressingoppositiontotheassemblysparticipationinwhattheysayisCanadastermina-tionplanforFirstNationsonbehalfofthegrassroots.WhileStephenHarpersgov-ernmentcontinuestobulldozeindigenouslandsandrightsinitsobsessionwithmakingCanadaaresourcecolonytotheworldtheAFNhasnotevenputthehistoricTsilhqotindeci-sionorthegovernmentsmajornewcomprehensiveclaimspolicyonitsagendasaidSamMcKayDefendersoftheLandspokesperson.McKayquestionedwhyplanstotakeadvantageoftherecentprecedent-settingcourtvictoryforaB.C.FirstNationregardinglandtitledidnotmaketheAFNagenda.Theonlymajorpolicyinitia-tivetheAFNispushingatthisassemblyisthegovernmentsrehashedFirstNationseduca-tionlegislationthatwillsubor-dinateFirstNationsschoolingtoOttawasdictatesandfurtheralienateouryoungpeoplefromtheirculturesechoedJaniceMakokisofIdleNoMore.MikmaqprofessorPamPalmaterwhoranforna-tionalchiefinthepreviouselectionagreed.ShesaiddraggingonwithAtleospre-viousworkoneducationwillmeansameoldfortheAFN.JourdainforecastedamoresinisterresultofBellegardeselectioninhisexitspeechsayingchiefschosethecor-porateroad.Hewarnedtheassemblyoversomejeersthatthiswillcometohauntusall.Todaytheprimeministeriscelebratinghesaid.As-similationhasdonewhatitssupposedtodo.Ifourlandsandresourcesaretobedeveloped...itwillbedoneonourowntermsandourtimeline.NationalChiefPerryBellegardeAssemblyofFirstNationsNewlyelectedAFNNationalChiefPerryBellegardespeaksaboutFirstNationstreatyrelationshipwithCanadaattheTreaty8115thanniversarycelebrationinFitzgeraldAlta.duringtheDeneNationalAssemblylastJune.PhotoMeaganWohlberg