There is dissension within the ranks but the head of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples will continue in that role until at least next September.
On Thursday, an attempt was made to dump Betty Ann Lavallee as chief.
The attempt was led by Kim Beaudin, Saskatchewan representative of CAP.
He brought up a non-confidence motion at a congress board meeting on Thursday but it was rejected because of the organization’s constitution.
The constitution states a leadership challenge has to take place at a full delegates meeting and that won’t happen until September 2015.
Beaudin says Lavallee has failed to address a number of key issues including the Supreme Court challenge of Métis rights, funding cuts to Aboriginal organizations and she has failed to get the ear of Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt.
He says he may be seen as a troublemaker but is not afraid to speak his mind.
“For years and years I have been seen that way,” he says. “You know we brought numerous issues forward to CAP itself like murdered and missing Aboriginal women and the incarceration of our people.”
Beaudin says there is a lot of unrest in the organization.
He says delaying the vote on the future of its leadership will leave it with a lame duck leader.
“Yup, that’s correct, you said it.”
Betty Ann Lavallee was first elected as chief of CAP in 2009.
She was re-elected in 2012.