Miles Morrisseau
ICT
Assembly of First Nations chiefs voted to oust National Chief RoseAnne Archibald on Wednesday, June 28, after more than a year of tensions and controversy that had already led to the organization’s first-ever female leader being suspended temporarily then reinstated.
The expulsion, taken via a Zoom call that was closed to the public, means the assembly — the national representative for First Nations in Canada — will head into its national meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on July 11 without a national leader, giving the chiefs the floor to themselves to explain what happened.
SUPPORT INDIGENOUS JOURNALISM. CONTRIBUTE TODAY.
The chiefs indicated the vote was in response to an investigation that found Archibald had violated the AFN’s whistleblower policy and code of conduct after an investigation into five allegations of harassment and retaliation.
The vote drew 71 percent support of the 231 chiefs who voted, far more than the necessary 60 percent needed to remove the national chief, with 27 percent opposed to the proposal.
The national chief’s Twitter account was immediately shut down after the vote, and Archibald could not be reached for comment as of midday Thursday.
First Nations author and podcaster Pam Palmater, Mi’kmaq, called the removal an “embarrassing coup.”
Nahanni Fontaine, Sagkeeng Anishinaabe First Nation, a member of the Manitoba Legislature from Winnipeg who is an outspoken advocate for Indigenous women, said on Twitter that Archibald was targeted because she is a woman.
“The first woman National Chief in AFN’s 50 plus years has been ousted,” Fontaine tweeted. “Some may argue her gender played no role. But the truth is, it’s precisely because she’s a woman. Dismantling patriarchy comes at a high cost for women who fearlessly challenge the entrenched power structures of the old boys club.
“It’s a sobering and chilling commentary on the ongoing work our communities still need to undertake in achieving gender equality.”
Details of the allegations against Archibald remain unclear, however. A human resources complaint filed against the national chief by five staff members, including the former CEO, were upheld in a human resources report that was circulated to the chiefs before the special assembly, though Archibald maintained the allegations had been unsubstantiated.
The assembly far surpassed the needed 60 percent of the vote to remove her from office.
“After review of the Investigation Summary Report and hearing from National Chief RoseAnne Archibald, First Nations-in-Assembly accepted the Report and directed the removal of RoseAnne Archibald from the position of National Chief,” AFN Nova Scotia Regional Chief Paul Prosper said in a statement.
“This decision was made due to her violation of the Whistleblower Policy and breach of the Executive Committee’s Code of Conduct. As a result, the position of National Chief will remain vacant until an interim National Chief is selected from the Executive Committee.”
A new national chief is set to be elected by the Special Chiefs Assembly in December 2023.
Ongoing tensions
Despite the lingering tensions, the national chief had continued to go about her national business throughout the past year.
She was on hand for the historic visit by Pope Frances in July 2022, and she traveled with other Indigenous leaders to Great Britain to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. She returned to England for the coronation of King Charles III in May, and joined with several other Indigenous leaders in a meeting with Charles in Buckingham Palace.
And she had her supporters among the assembly.
According to a draft resolution brought by Chief Joyce McLeod, Montreal Lake Cree Nation Saskatchewan, and seconded by Chief Joe Alfonse, Tsilhqot’in Nation in British Columbia, the sequence of events that led to Archibald’s removal started before the national chief took office.
The resolution posted on the AFN’s website states that in October 2020, as Archibald was Ontario regional chief, she became aware of what is described as “suspected financial wrongdoing within the Assembly of First Nations,” noting that Peter Mantas, AFN’s legal counsel, had “presented a briefing note regarding a large bank transfer approximately $190,000 from the FN into a personal bank account and a contract given.”
Related stories:
—Canada’s national chief wins vote to overturn suspension
—Historic day for Indigenous peoples
—Indigenous leaders from Canada will attend Queen’s funeral
—Pope takes first step toward apology
Archibald asked the executive committee’s support to investigate the transfer, but then-National Chief Perry Bellegarde and the regional chiefs on the AFN executive committee declined to support any investigation.
In February 2021, the chiefs of Ontario passed Resolution 21/14 calling for “an independent review of the Assembly of First Nations.”
Within days of the resolution being filed, Archibald received a call from Bellegarde to inform her that “an HR investigation was launched against her without any written documentation.” In May 2021, the findings of the investigation, while she was still Ontario regional chief, “exonerated her as no complaints came forward,” according to the resolution..
In July 2021, Archibald was elected national chief on a campaign promising transparency and accountability.
In May 2022, four staff members asked for a full payment of their contracts, an amount in excess of $1 million that was rejected by the national chief. They then filed complaints against Archibald.
Archibald was suspended June 17, 2022, by the assembly’s executive committee and board of directors, one day after issuing a sharply worded statement calling for an independent investigation and a forensic audit of the organization, including the $1 million buy-out request the four staff members that she had opposed.
She was then cut off her social media accounts and cell phone, and denied entrance to the annual assembly on July 5-7, 2022. After making a dramatic entry with drums, singers and supporters, however, she was allowed to take a seat at the head table and won a vote to reinstate her.
The draft resolution filed recently includes the report, “Summary of Findings Into Allegations of Harassment and Wrongdoing Against National Chief RoseAnne Archibald,” which stated that 93 percent of the original 28 allegations against her “were found to be unsubstantiated” and that “all whistleblower complaints that initiated the Human Resources investigation were found to be unsubstantiated.”
Heated exchanges
Palmater, the Mi’kmaq podcaster, was among those who responded to Archibald’s ouster on social media.
“Something tells me this was the plan all along,” tweeted Palmater, Eel River Bar First Nation. “Let’s see who Executive chooses amongst themselves to head [AFN] after their embarrassing coup. Painful to watch once powerful NIB led by the old leaders transform into toxic AFN. Our hope for future is our ppl on frontlines.”
The CBC, the federally funded Canadian broadcaster, was allowed access to the special meeting by somebody within the AFN. In fact the broadcaster had been leaked documents and numerous audio tapes by somebody within the national office during the process.
Perhaps most damaging to the national chief’s leadership was not just the human resources report but the bickering and pettiness that was reported by CBC.
In addition to debates between the national chief and Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare over who “had the floor,” Nova Scotia regional Chief Joanna Bernard, a member of the AFN executive committee, mocked Archibald’s commitment to bring healing to the national organization.
“I feel — this is my opinion only, national chief — that we’re not healing. This crap healing path forward and this love and peace stuff, I’ve had it up to my ears,” Bernard said, according to CBC.
“I’m sick of hearing it when things that you are doing are on the opposite end of that, undermining us as an executive.”
Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute $5 or $10 today to help ICT carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICT’s free newsletter.