Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald is calling on Chiefs to support her vision for a new corporation to represent the interests of Indigenous People, one that is based on cultural values and kindness.
Archibald made the plea as she is facing a resolution of non-confidence. She was suspended in June by the AFN Executive Committee, or Regional Chiefs over complaints lodged against her by former staff. Yet she told delegates in Vancouver that her suspension was based on retaliation as she claims there is corruption and lateral violence within the AFN.
“I told the truth about the corruption at the AFN. They don’t want you to know the truth. They don’t want me to talk directly to you,” Archibald explained.
Archibald and her legal team do not believe the Regional Chiefs have the power to suspend her and that her suspension was an effort to usurp the power of First Nations Chiefs to direct the AFN. Her team proposed a resolution to have a forensic audit conducted on staff payouts and contracts, alleging that the AFN wanted to pay four former staff approximately $1 million. Archibald said she wanted to stop the payments as that money should be used to support First Nations communities.
“Millions of dollars have been paid. That’s what the forensic audit will show you. You will see how money is meant for you, and your communities, has been going into somebody else’s pocket,” She said. “I refused to give $1 million plus to staff and a staff payout. I refused. I knew it was wrong. This funding that I am entrusted with is meant to help you all of your communities, all of your citizens. I can’t hand a million dollars to four people. I can’t do it. It’s meant for you.”
A spokesperson for the Executive Committee called on the Chiefs to vote in favour of a resolution to continue with Archibald’s suspension until an investigation into the allegations is complete. The spokesperson called it middle ground between resolutions demanding her removal and for Archibald to be restored as National Chief.
Archibald laid out a new vision for the AFN, one that supports a healthy working environment, describing the current culture as an employment with fear.
“For the last year I’ve been talking about the healing path forward. Healing is not an easy road. I don’t know if anybody’s ever had a wound. Sometimes you got to open that up and let that pus run out. And then you got to clean it. And then you got to heal it. And sometimes that’s painful. And sometimes that’s difficult,” she told delegates. “And we must do that work together.”
Resolutions addressing the future of Archibald and the AFN’s finances are expected to be debated this afternoon.