The former head of the Assembly of First Nations says education, understanding and unity are the future of First Nations people in Canada.
Ovide Mercredi made the comments during a weekend address to alumni at the First Nations University in Regina.
He says first nations leaders have been put in a position of fighting for treaty rights and resource revenues.
He is confident that will change for the next generation.
“They are more solution based, they are not just into grievance, they will be placed by virtue of a country not listening to express those grievances but their focus will be on solutions.”
Mercredi says solutions lie within the first nations community, but he says infighting must end and they must speak with a united voice.
He also says first nations people must find their lost spirituality.
“Without a spiritual basis in our lives we will not really make progress in terms of the human issues that affect our lives like violence in our communities”
Mercredi was the grand chief of the AFN from 1991 until 1997.
He is currently the national spokesperson for treaties one to eleven.