A First Nation’s chief who served her community for four decades will be Saskatchewan’s lone representative on an Assembly of First Nations delegation meeting with the Pope.
The AFN announced the 13 delegates heading to the Vatican next month to meet with Pope Francis to discuss the church’s role in Canada’s Residential School System.
Among them was Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier who served as chief of Okanese First Nation for 40 years before retiring last year. The former chief was also a recipient of the Order of Canada in 2018.
First Nation leaders from Canada are scheduled to meet with the pope on December 20.
While the AFN says they will be releasing more details on the goals of the delegation in the future Indigenous leaders have previously called for a papal apology on the church’s roles in residential schools.
The following is the list of the entire AFN delegation:
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AFN NWT Regional Chief Norman Yakeleya, Dene Nation, Delegation Lead
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Dr. Wilton Littlechild, Ermineskin Cree Nation, Alberta Representative
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Fred Kelly, Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation, Spiritual Advisor
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Phil Fontaine, Sagkeeng First Nation, Manitoba Representative
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John Bekale, Dene Nation, Northwest Territories Representative
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Adeline Webber, Kukhhiittan Clan of the Teslin Tlingit Nation, Yukon Representative
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Kukpi7 Chief Roseanne Casimir, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation, British Columbia Representative
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Chief Marie-Anne Day Walker-Pelletier, Okanese First Nation, Saskatchewan Representative
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Marlene Cloud, Chippewas of Kettle & Stony Point First Nation, Ontario Representative
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Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty, Cree First Nation of Waswanipi, Quebec Representative
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Rosalie LaBillois, Eel River Bar First Nation, New Brunswick Representative
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Marlene Thomas, Lennox Island First Nation, Prince Edward Island Representative
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Phyllis Googoo, Waycobah First Nation, Nova Scotia & Newfoundland Representative
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Taylor Behn-Tsakoza, Fort Nelson First Nation, Youth Representative
Day Walker-Pelletier will join other Saskatchewan representatives Norman Fleury and Anne LaFleur who will be there on behalf of the Métis National Council.
The Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the other group expected to send a delegation to this historic meeting.