FSIN Chief Hands Out Portfolios

FSIN Chief Hands Out Portfolios

Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 17:07

 

 

With a new chief comes new portfolios.

 

The chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations has handed out portfolios to each of the executive members, along with a written mandate letter outlining key priorities.

 

Chief Guy Lonechild says soon there will also be a consultative process looking at re-organizing the FSIN, which was last done in 1994.

 

“What we’re hoping to do, 16 years later, is to provide some sense of, do we need to change the organization to allow for women and youth to actively participate in our legislative assemblies; do we need to examine the ‘one person, one vote’; do we need just to do maybe minor changes to the FSIN legislative assembly,” Lonechild says.

 

Lonechild also hopes to meet with women’s groups soon to develop an action plan for issues such as missing women, the HIV/AIDS pandemic and violence against women.

 

Under the portfolio structure announced today, Chief Lonechild is responsible for women, gaming, and the First Nations University of Canada, while first vice-chief Morley Watson has finance and economic, social, and urban development.

 

Second vice-chief Delbert Wapass has justice and community safety, as well as education.

 

Third vice-chief Dutch Lerat has health and wellness, and veterans and disabilities.

 

And fourth vice-chief Lyle Whitefish has lands and resources, duty to consult and accommodate, and residential schools healing and compensation.

 

In addition, each executive member will have to report on how his work is meeting the needs of women, children, elders and urban First Nations people.