Assembly of First Nations

I

Introduction

Assembly of First Nations (AFN), primary lobbying organization for all Status Indians (aboriginal people in Canada designated by the Indian Act as Indians). Formed in 1982 by the chiefs of most of Canada’s Indian bands, the AFN promotes specific goals that the bands agree upon. Canada’s Indian bands generally identify themselves as First Nations or parts of First Nations. The intent of the organization is to give voice and direction to issues confronting First Nations across the country.

II

Organizational Structure

The AFN’s structure is set out in the organization’s charter, adopted in 1985. The basic component of the AFN is the First Nations-in-Assembly, which convenes annually. Chiefs from each of the more than 600 Indian bands in Canada bring concerns to the assembly meetings, and the assembly debates possible actions. Approval by at least 60 percent of the membership is necessary for an AFN resolution.

The AFN is led by an executive committee, consisting of a national chief and ten vice chiefs. The executive committee implements AFN resolutions, including leading lobbying efforts and producing reports. The national chief, elected every three years by the AFN members, is the AFN’s official spokesperson. As spokesperson, the national chief comments on government policy and programs that affect First Nations peoples, as well as on national issues. The ten vice chiefs represent the regions of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Island, Québec and Labrador, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, the Yukon Territory, and the Northwest Territories. The vice chiefs are also elected every three years. The vice chiefs determine policy and direction for the AFN, bringing issues to the members for debate, discussion, and resolution. The executive committee and its support staff are known as the AFN secretariat.

Other important bodies in the organization include the Council of Elders and the Confederacy of Nations. The Council of Elders develops rules and procedures for the AFN. The Confederacy of Nations comprises representatives from each of the ten regions, including leaders of regional First Nations organizations and delegates. The number of delegates is determined by the population of First Nations people in a region: 1 delegate for each 10,000 First Nations people. The Confederacy meets twice a year to review and clarify First Nations-in-Assembly resolutions and to address any issues that come up between the annual assembly meetings. The Priorities and Planning Committee recommends actions based on reports from 15 commissions that deal with issues such as health, education, spiritual development, treaties, and finance.

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The federal government (through a number of different departments, including the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development) provides the bulk of the AFN’s funding, with individual bands contributing additional money. AFN membership is voluntary, but nearly all band chiefs belong.

III

History

A

Early Indian Organizations

After Canadian Confederation in 1867, aboriginal groups formed many different local, regional, and national organizations to respond to white domination. However, communication among these early First Nations organizations was difficult because the Indian land reserves (lands set aside for Indian bands) were separated by great distances. Local First Nations leaders lacked the funds for the travel necessary to meet and develop a viable national organization. In addition, the government often interfered with Indian organizations. It sometimes removed organization leaders it considered a threat to federal Indian policy. The government also co-opted other First Nations leaders by appointing them to positions within the Department of Indian Affairs.

In 1961 the National Indian Council (NIC) was established to represent most Canadian aboriginal groups. Aboriginal groups in Canada include Status Indians, non-Status Indians, Inuit, and Métis (people of mixed European and indigenous heritage). However, the aboriginal groups had conflicting interests. Some Indian groups without land reserves wanted them while others did not, and many Status Indians opposed attempts by non-Status Indians to gain government recognition and benefits. The NIC split in 1968. The National Indian Brotherhood (NIB) formed to represent only Status Indians. Soon after, the Métis formed the Canadian Métis Society (later renamed the Native Council of Canada), and the Inuit formed several different organizations.

B

The Formation of the AFN

The NIB struggled with internal and external problems in the 1970s and early 1980s. A growing number of First Nations people objected to representation by the NIB, whose members were appointed not elected. Many First Nations people believed the NIB was not accountable to the chiefs they had elected. In addition, the NIB lost important government funding because it aggressively lobbied against some federal government initiatives.

In 1979 hundreds of First Nations chiefs met in London, England, and called for the establishment of a new organization of which they themselves would be members. The chiefs issued a Declaration of First Nations in 1980 in which they stated that the First Nations were sovereign nations within a larger nation. The First Nations intended to achieve self-government through negotiation with the federal government. In 1982, at the NIB general assembly in Penticton, British Columbia, the NIB became the AFN, with membership open to the chiefs of all of the Status Indian bands in Canada.

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