Moving On...

"Those folks who lost out to Shawn Atleo are using the cover of Idle No More to fight last July's AFN (Assembly of First Nations) election all over again, and they're hoping to unseat him -- hound him from office and throw the AFN into crisis.
"They would have a heck of a time ousting him, but that doesn't mean they won't try."
Ernie Crey, former United Native Nations vice-president; fisheries advisor to the Sto:lo Tribal Council, British Columbia

 This is also the aboriginal chief who explained to Terry Glavin, journalist, that he anticipated that National Chief Shawn Atleo's position was being opposed by hard-line and backward activist chiefs aligning themselves with the Idle No More movement, which Mr. Crey considers to have a vacuous agenda. 'Just watch, these demagogues have already insinuated themselves into Idle No More's national spotlight and they'll soon be busy "hounding the national chief from office"'.

During the AFN election there was quite a bit of competitive opposition from contenders for the position of National Chief, but Shawn Atleo was re-elected by a wide margin. His closest competitor, Pam Palmater came second - with 141 votes to Chief Atleo's 341. And Ms. Palmater is not happy with that result. She has been working steadily since then to cause havoc within the AFN and to discredit Chief Atleo.

She poses as a chief supporter and representative of Idle No More, despite the founders of the movement having stated repeatedly and emphatically that the chiefs don't represent them, and nor does Theresa Spence with her well-publicized liquid diet whose presumed urgency represents utter and futile blackmail. From one who has personally failed spectacularly as a reserve band administrator.

"Our supporters will organize and defend [the national chief] - we'll protect the work he has done. He's got a strong mandate. If the chiefs are to attack a man like Shawn Atleo, people will speak." And thus spoke Regional Chief Roger Augustine, appointed acting National Chief with the AFN while Shawn Atleo has taken a two-week doctor-directed rest from the agonizing stress of the past two weeks.

A handful of chiefs oppose National Chief Atleo for being co-operative with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Chief Atleo is committed to working diligently on behalf of his people, and to do that there must be trust and co-operation between the AFN and the Crown, which is being adequately expressed and being addressed by Prime Minister Harper and Aboriginal Minister Duncan.

Who has just recently announced much-needed long-term strategy on providing safe potable water and sewer systems for First Nations communities.

Manitoba Chief Derek Nepinak, Cree Chief Wally Fox and Serpent River Chief Isadore Day, consider themselves staunch protectors of their First Nations' rights. But they are obstructionist in nature, refusing to consider that mutual co-operation goes a long way toward reaching consensus and movement.

Chief Nepinak and his colleagues made a huge show of declining the invitation to attend the Crown-First Nations meeting at the Langevin block last week. In their conspicuous absence, there were accomplishments agreed upon to break the seeming impasse, and more to come in the fullness of time, with more direct negotiations and high-level consultations.

Despite which he played for the television cameras, pantomiming righteous anger and frustration, insisting that the Prime Minister come out to speak to the First Nation grouping outside the Langevin building, then knocking strenuously on the closed door, ignoring the open one, as though he was unable to enter. All a studious display in juvenile spite.

Not to overlook the malicious machinations of Mi'kmaq academic and Rabble.ca columnist Pam Palmater who came in a distant second for election as National Chief of the AFN and will never surrender her stinging pain of it to acceptance that the better candidate won out. She is intent on slandering Shawn Atleo and the AFN; if she was denied the position, he most certainly shouldn't have it.

"We're going to keep going. This is a movement that won't stop now. Our movement is strong" she declaims. But it's not 'her' movement.  And she is a disgrace to the true furtherance of her peoples' future. She and the other obstructionist chiefs shot down Chief Atleo's fondest aspiration to advance an education bill for Aboriginal youth.

Her ill humour and non-confidence in Chief Atleo and the AFN ensures stalemate and frustration, not advance.

It is to no one's advantage that a series of emails has been going the rounds among the chiefs critical of Shawn Atleo, that his medical leave of absence "has a stench of seeking pity", that it is time "to consider serious examination of his actions and potential next steps", that he "take permanent leave" for not heeding their advice to "cease and desist from any negotiations or discussions regarding the numbered treaties".

Grand Chief Doug Kelly of the Sto:lo Tribal Council feels that without doubt Pam Palmater "wants the job herself", using her stated support of the Idle No More platform as a base. She has been frantically tweeting her dissenting messages: "If only choice is legislative assimilation n destruction of lands n waters we should b thankful there's no unity n that Chiefs r standing up".

Grand Chief David Harper of Manitoba has stated "Toronto has not gone away yet (venue of AFN election) -- it's not over. I've seen it and I've heard it and I've felt it. People can't seem to accept the results... But my chiefs want to move on. Now is not the time to fall apart."