Alberta chiefs call for Assembly of First Nations to dissolve

A group of Alberta chiefs are calling on the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) to dissolve, after they say some First Nations were denied registration to the special chiefs assembly this week in Ottawa.

Chief Sheldon Sunshine from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation said he couldn't register for the meetings and emailed AFN to ask why. 

He said the AFN emailed back, saying the First Nation had submitted a band council resolution in 2017 withdrawing from the organization.

"They sent back an email ... saying that if I wanted to register as chief, I'd have to sign a new [band council resolution], gaining access to the AFN," said Sunshine. 

Sunshine said he later registered for the meeting as an elder — but doesn't get voting rights. 

At least one other First Nation from Alberta, Saddle Lake Cree Nation, was also denied registration to the meeting, according to councillor Pauline Hunter.

AFN has been without a regional chief for Alberta since 2021. Treaty 8 hasn't been part of the AFN for about three years.

"A lot of our chiefs are attending and registering under the elders," said Treaty 8 Grand Chief Trevor Mercredi.

"We need to be here to gather the information so we can go back and try to make sense of the decisions that are being made."

Mercredi said the AFN is "manufacturing consent" by deciding who can attend this week's meeting. 

"This is not in line with the AFN's own charter which states that AFN cannot elevate itself higher than the directions from the chiefs," said Cold Lake First Nations Chief Kelsey Jacko.

The Grand Council of Treaty 8, Saddle Lake Cree Nation, O'Chiese First Nation, and Onion Lake Cree Nation in Saskatchewan supported the call for the dissolution of the AFN, and to distribute the organization's assets and funding to all nations in Canada.

'It's about our sovereignty'

Jacko said some of the issues the AFN is trying to tackle are outside of the scope of its jurisdiction.

"They are meeting with the government on all matters relating to our people, taking away our authority," said Jacko. 

"We see a clear relationship between the government and AFN; it is to the point that we cannot see [where] government ends and AFN starts." 

Sunshine gave an example of Bill C-61, the First Nations Clean Drinking Water Act, saying the AFN worked directly with the federal government on this bill, without the support of the First Nations. 

Mercredi said the AFN "does not have any right to speak on treaties, as they're not a treaty organization. So when we see treaty resolutions coming up, we have to stand against them. It's about our sovereignty." 

The chiefs are concerned what limiting registration to the special chiefs assembly could mean for talks on the $47.8-billion child welfare reform agreement reached with the federal government earlier this year. 

In October, the assembly voted down a resolution to support the agreement. Without an Alberta regional chief at the table, Jacko is worried his province won't have a say.  

AFN did not respond to a request for comment by time of publishing.