Assembly of First Nations delegates reject resolution calling for chief's suspension
Assembly of First Nations delegates reject resolution calling for chief's suspension
VANCOUVER -
An emergency resolution before the Assembly of First Nations annual meeting to reaffirm the suspension of National Chief RoseAnne Archibald has failed in Vancouver.
Archibald took the stage following Tuesday's vote and expressed her gratitude for the decision to end what she called an unjust suspension.
"I am 100 per cent committed to meeting with the regional chiefs. I need my phone back. I need my emails back. I need to be reinstated fully," she said.
The resolution said Archibald disclosed confidential information about the complaints against her by the organization's staff, compromising the integrity of the assembly's complaint process.
The vote needed the support of 60 per cent of eligible delegates for approval, but the resolution was defeated, with the tally to come later.
Tk'emlups te Secwepemc Chief Rosanne Casimir moved the motion saying there are rules for leaders and the situation has become a national embarrassment.
Thousands of delegates gathered for the annual Assembly of First Nations meeting in Vancouver to talk about the Pope's visit, Indigenous rights, housing and other priorities, but those issues were upstaged by Archibald's claims of corruption and infighting over her leadership.
Dressed in Indigenous regalia, Archibald strode in at the start of the gathering ahead of a group of chanting supporters.
Just the day before, Archibald said she had been "erased" from the agenda after her suspension by the executive committee June 17 while an investigation was underway into four complaints against her by her staff.
Instead, Archibald led opening ceremonies, welcomed attendees and spoke to delegates.
"I am your representative. I am your servant. I only exist because all of you put me in this position, so an attack on me is an attack on you," she said before delegates voted. "It is your authority to determine what happens to the national chief. You elected me, not the regional chiefs. You determine what discipline I face."
Archibald alleges she was suspended for trying to investigate corruption within the assembly and called for a forensic audit of the organization for the last eight years.
She said it comes after "decades" of calls for reform within the organization.
"When you support me, you will be fighting against corruption," Archibald said.
The Assembly of First Nations executive released a statement Tuesday urging delegates not to allow the human resource complaints involving Archibald to "overshadow the real and ongoing work that is required on behalf of the First Nations people."
"The committee further calls on the national chief to immediately cease any actions and statements that amount to serious breaches of the confidentiality and privacy interests of AFN employees, service providers and others, including making broad allegations of misconduct," the statement said.
The executive believes the actions are damaging, unlawful and inappropriate, the statement said.
Archibald has said her suspension was a violation of the assembly's charter and a means to intimidate, punish and silence her over her claims of the possible misuse of public funds by the assembly.
"Obviously, I'm calling on our friends for an audit and an independent investigation into the AFN and I'm asking chiefs and grassroots people to talk to their chiefs to ensure that a forensic audit happens as well as an independent investigation into the corruption and toxicity at AFN," she said before she entered the assembly Tuesday.
Prior to the vote, Paul Prosper, the AFN regional chief for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, asked chiefs and their proxies in attendance to validate the executive's decision to allow for Archibald's temporary suspension to continue until the investigation concludes.
"There have been calls for a forensic audit and my colleagues are not opposed to a forensic audit. We welcome it if you welcome it," he said. "No organization is perfect. We all face our own unique challenges and yes, as an organization we can improve that we must improve."
Archibald said in her address that she wants audits in two areas: staff payouts and contracts.
"Millions of dollars have been paid in staff payouts," she said. "That's what the forensic audit will show you. You will see how money that is meant for you and your communities has been going into somebody else's pocket."
Two other emergency resolutions will be brought to the assembly floor for vote on Wednesday.
The first, brought by Chief Wendy Jocko of Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation, is calling for the independent third-party forensic financial audit of the AFN.
The other resolution, brought by Kinonjeoshtegon First Nation Chief Rod Travers, calls for Archibald to be removed from office, claiming she breached confidentiality by speaking with media, prompting delegates to lose confidence in her leadership.
It calls for the executive committee to appoint an interim leader, with an election for a new national chief to be called within six months.
A draft resolution before the assembly asking that Archibald be removed from the office and a new election be held because she didn't receive the required 60 per cent of votes cast when she was elected last year was removed from the list of resolutions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2022.
Host drummers at the #AFNGeneral Assembly sharing song and dance at opening of what is a key day for the #AFN and @ChiefRoseAnne . Speaking to the National Chief before she entered she firmly stated she “speaks truth” and will continue with that today. #ctvnews#afn#vancouverpic.twitter.com/HMVbsnrXUm
After Russia invaded Ukraine last February, the European Union moved to block RT and Sputnik, two of the Kremlin's top channels for spreading propaganda and misinformation about the war. Nearly six months later, the number of sites pushing that same content has exploded, according to a report by NewsGuard.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and senior RCMP officers are defending the national police force's years-long and previously undisclosed use of spyware—capable of remotely accessing cell phone and computer microphones, cameras and other data—as part of dozens of major investigations.
The FBI searched Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate as part of an investigation into whether he took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence, people familiar with the matter said Monday, a move that represents a dramatic and unprecedented escalation of law enforcement scrutiny of the U.S. former president.
Federal prosecutors in the United States have accused a Saskatoon woman of faking her own death and that of her son in what they describe as an elaborate scheme to illegally enter the country.
After ambush-style shootings of three Muslim men and the recent killing of a fourth in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Muslim community in the city is on edge and fearful.
Nagasaki paid tribute to the victims of the U.S. atomic bombing 77 years ago on Aug. 9, with the mayor saying Russia's war on Ukraine showed the world that another nuclear attack is not just a worry but 'a tangible and present crisis.'
In 2002, the owners of the mill in Dryden, Ont. started a project to reduce emissions, but workers on the construction project complain that they were exposed to toxic chemicals that damaged their health. CTV's W5 spoke with some of the workers about what they went through.
Experts say dangerous warning signs are missed in parents who could harm or kill their child. Up to 40 kids are killed this way each year in Canada. CTV W5 looks into why this is happening, and if there are ways to prevent it.
In its latest episode 'Putin's pals', W5 takes an in-depth look into who Russia's oligarchs are, and whether sanctioning them would stop President Vladimir Putin’s invasion in Ukraine.
Dawn Carisse went missing from the North Bay Psychiatric Hospital more than 2 decades ago. She vanished without a trace. Now a private investigator turned podcaster is finding new clues for her family.
Professional hockey player Tori Sullivan speaks out publicly for the first time to TSN and W5's Rick Westhead, about the trauma of an alleged campus sexual assault and her dismissal from Boston College's hockey team.
Ontario hospitals are upholding their mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies for employees as staff shortages mount to a 'crisis' with more emergency departments temporarily closing over the weekend.
Ottawa's Confederation Line LRT will be closing early on a total of 10 days this month as crews perform maintenance on the tracks, with reduced service planned on parts of the line for two other nights.
OC Transpo is advising customers to prepare for more bus trip cancellations today and this week, as the transit service deals with a staffing shortage caused by summer vacations and sick leave absences.
Some ticket holders say they have already cut their losses after the Ever After Music Festival was cancelled less than a week before it was slated to start.
Hockey Canada has turned to the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASCWR) for help in training its athletes and staff to end sexual violence.
Student housing is hard to come by in Waterloo and new spots are constantly being built to address the need, but it appears some new housing might not be ready in time for the start of the school year.
The FBI searched Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate as part of an investigation into whether he took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence, people familiar with the matter said Monday, a move that represents a dramatic and unprecedented escalation of law enforcement scrutiny of the U.S. former president.
Every night between four and five in the morning, Bob Reid wakes up crying. The musician is still traumatized after witnessing a fatal crash in October 2020 on Highbury Avenue, between St. Thomas and London, Ont., which claimed the life of Cindy Devine.
Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante has requested an independent investigation into the abrupt cancellation of the Montreal Pride parade Sunday after meeting with festival organizers Monday evening.
Quebec's chief coroner has ordered a public inquiry into the shooting deaths of three people, as well as that of the alleged gunman, following a killing spree last week in the Montreal area.
The deputy mayor of a southern Newfoundland town says his community is running out of food as it remains cut off from the rest of the island due to the worst forest fires the province has seen in more than 60 years.
Provincial and territorial hockey federations, including Hockey Manitoba, are calling on Hockey Canada to do more to address its handling of sexual assault allegations in London, Ont. in 2018.
A Manitoba woman who abused and killed her daughter in one of the province's most notorious crimes has been granted escorted temporary absences from prison.
Defence lawyers in Alberta will not be taking on certain legal aid cases over the next two weeks to push the government to correct what they call “perpetual underfunding” of the system.
Canada scored three unanswered goals in the first period, including one on the power play, and went on to defeat Sweden 4-3 on Monday in the final exhibition tune-up before Tuesday's start of the rescheduled 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship at Rogers Place.
A family physician in Victoria is asking patients for a monthly fee of $125 to access enhanced services such as longer appointments and home visits – re-igniting debate about British Columbians' access to health-care.
An NDP MLA from B.C.'s Southern Interior is facing a recall petition spearheaded by constituents who are frustrated by the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and senior RCMP officers are defending the national police force's years-long and previously undisclosed use of spyware—capable of remotely accessing cell phone and computer microphones, cameras and other data—as part of dozens of major investigations.
Condolences from Canadian politicians past and present poured out Monday as they learned about the death of Bill Graham, who served as foreign affairs minister when the country decided against joining the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Sources close to the government's proposed $5.3 billion dental care program say the Liberals are planning a temporary solution that involves giving money directly to patients in order to keep their promise to the NDP while they work on a more permanent answer.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is tracking the publicly reported cases of monkeypox across the country, updating the number of confirmed infections in each province and territory on a weekly basis.
A new study has found children who suffer from headache disorders have been experiencing more frequent pain and worse anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Talks to revive Tehran's tattered nuclear accord with world powers in Vienna ended Monday as the parties closed a final text and the Iranian negotiator prepared to return to his capital, diplomats said.
A trunk with its lid left open. A wooden dishware closet, its shelves caved in. Three-legged accent tables topped by decorative bowls. These latest discoveries by archaeologists are enriching knowledge about middle-class lives in Pompeii before Mount Vesuvius' furious eruption buried the ancient Roman city in volcanic debris.
While the peak of the Perseids meteor shower, one of the brightest of the year, may be next week, now may be the best time to see the astronomical event, according to The Weather Network.
Anne Heche has remained in critical condition since crashing her vehicle into a Los Angeles residence on Friday, according to a new representative for the actress.
Although she is best known for her role as Sandy in the blockbuster musical 'Grease,' Olivia Newton-John, who died at the age of 73, had a career that extended far beyond the dramas of Rydell High.
Asian shares mostly declined Tuesday amid a global fall in technology shares, including Japan's SoftBank, which has reported hefty losses caused by the market downturn.
Russia and Ukraine traded accusations Monday that each side is shelling Europe's biggest nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. Russia claimed that Ukrainian shelling caused a power surge and fire and forced staff to lower output from two reactors, while Ukraine has blamed Russian troops for storing weapons there.
A Metro Vancouver shelter held what it called a 'pity party' for a dog who's been waiting to be adopted for more than a year - the first dog at the facility to wait that long in about even years.
The recent resignation of Hockey Canada's board chair could be a sign of further departures to come, says Simona Jellinek, a sexual abuse and assault lawyer.
The lone American team in a junior B hockey league based in British Columbia is pulling out of the upcoming season because it can't find enough players vaccinated against COVID-19 to fill its roster.
The new plan to encourage Americans to buy more electric vehicles built in North America, instead of just the United States, has cleared its tallest hurdle, and for the Canadian auto industry, the stakes are enormous.
