The dramatic decision to remove RoseAnne Archibald as the first female leader of the largest First Nations advocacy organization in Canada SA国际影视传媒渨as not taken lightly,SA国际影视传媒� its interim chief told a gathering on Tuesday, even as some continued pushing for the ousted leader to be reinstated.
Joanna Bernard, a regional chief from New Brunswick who was tapped to serve in the role temporarily, addressed the Assembly of First Nations for the first time since ArchibaldSA国际影视传媒檚 removal over complaints that staff had filed about her conduct.
SA国际影视传媒淲e know the decision was not taken lightly and was a result of careful consideration by the leadership and representatives of our nations,SA国际影视传媒� Bernard said in Halifax at the AFNSA国际影视传媒檚 annual general assembly.
Archibald, who was elected in 2021, appeared before the assembly virtually on Tuesday and accused the organizationSA国际影视传媒檚 leadership of silencing the voices of those questioning her removal.
SA国际影视传媒淚t is a railroaded process that is unfair, that is not allowing for accountability for the political coup that happened against me by the regional chiefs,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
She has called on chiefs and supporters to urge that the organization to reinstate her.
Archibald added she believes the organization SA国际影视传媒渉as gone off the rails.SA国际影视传媒� An earlier statement said she may yet attend the gathering, which runs through Thursday, in person.
Bruce Archibald, chief of Taykwa Tagamou Nation in northwest Ontario, was one of three people who moved to reinstate the former chief at the wider gathering.
Her ouster was SA国际影视传媒渧ery unfair,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚 feel today that weSA国际影视传媒檙e ignoring the fact of whatSA国际影视传媒檚 actually going on.SA国际影视传媒�
The motions were not adopted.
Not all chiefs were present for the vote to remove Archibald. It happened June 28 at a special chiefsSA国际影视传媒� assembly held to address the findings of an investigation into five staff membersSA国际影视传媒� complaints. Of the 231 chiefs who took part, 71 per cent voted to remove her.
An independent third-party review had concluded that some of ArchibaldSA国际影视传媒檚 behaviour amounted to harassment. Investigators also found she breached the organizationSA国际影视传媒檚 policies by retaliating against complainants and failing to maintain confidentiality.
Terry Teegee, regional chief for British Columbia, told reporters on Tuesday that even if not all were present, chiefs made the decision SA国际影视传媒� not members of the assemblySA国际影视传媒檚 executive committee, whom Archibald has accused of orchestrating her removal.
SA国际影视传媒淲e followed the rules, wherever it fell in terms of the vote, and that was decided by the chiefs.SA国际影视传媒�
The fact Archibald was the first woman to hold the role as national chief has sent a chill over other female First Nations leaders, said Joyce Naytowhow McLeod, chief of Montreal Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan. She called the decision to remove Archibald SA国际影视传媒渁 disgrace,SA国际影视传媒� adding it makes her feel SA国际影视传媒減owerless.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淭he message is SA国际影视传媒� just stay quiet, donSA国际影视传媒檛 voice anything,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e deal with that enough back home, as women chiefs.SA国际影视传媒�
As chiefs prepare to elect a new permanent leader later in the year, Bernard told those gathered that she hopes to see SA国际影视传媒渟trong women leadersSA国际影视传媒� come forward, but added they should select a candidate who is committed to unity regardless of their gender.
She said work was underway to address the shortcomings within the organization and SA国际影视传媒渞ebuilding staff morale,SA国际影视传媒� pointing to efforts around bolstering its whistleblower policies, code of conduct and the process for reporting harassment.
Bernard pledged that the organization wanted to offer a SA国际影视传媒渟afe and supportive environment where all individuals can speak up without fear of retaliation.SA国际影视传媒�
Archibald has alleged she was targeted for fighting corruption and demanding a financial audit.
Bernard expressed an openness during her speech Tuesday to ArchibaldSA国际影视传媒檚 push for a financial audit, saying the organizationSA国际影视传媒檚 financial statements are audited annually, and rejected the former chiefSA国际影视传媒檚 claims around problematic spending.
If a committee tasked with examining the issue believes a forensic audit is necessary, SA国际影视传媒渨e will follow that guidance,SA国际影视传媒� Bernard said, adding she is committed to maintaining stability despite the challenging period of transition that now lies ahead.
Before the gathering got underway, the organization announced it was sharing the past decadeSA国际影视传媒檚 worth of independent, audited financial statements, which it said SA国际影视传媒渃onfirm the absence of any financial concerns.SA国际影视传媒�
Teegee said itSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渄isappointingSA国际影视传媒� that the attention paid to ArchibaldSA国际影视传媒檚 leadership has meant slow progress on key files, including safe drinking water, housing, the drug crisis and climate change.
He rejected the belief that anything has been fully derailed, but acknowledged its turmoil has slowed the assemblySA国际影视传媒檚 work. SA国际影视传媒淥ver the next few days, hopefully we can pick up the slack.SA国际影视传媒�
Annie Bernard-Daisley, co-chair of the Assembly of Nova Scotia MiSA国际影视传媒檏maw Chiefs, said during the opening of the assembly that itSA国际影视传媒檚 time to move on to more pressing issues.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have people in our community sitting in poverty, being murdered, a Winnipeg landfill not being searched,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭he longer we delay, the less we will do for our own people. LetSA国际影视传媒檚 check our ego at the door and do our job.SA国际影视传媒�
Garrison Settee, grand chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, said itSA国际影视传媒檚 time to focus on the SA国际影视传媒渄ire situationSA国际影视传媒� in First Nations communities.
SA国际影视传媒淭he chiefs are moving on,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Chiefs are meeting until Thursday to discuss issues including First Nations policing, self-governance legislation for M茅tis communities and access to safe drinking water.
The election of a new national chief in December and the appointment of a chief electoral officer are on the agenda, as well as speeches from federal ministers.
SA国际影视传媒擝y Marlo Glass, The Canadian Press, with files from Stephanie Taylor
