AFN assembly wraps with some progress, 1 show of unity and familiar pledges from politicians

The Assembly of First Nations' annual winter gathering concluded Thursday evening with progress on a few key issues, one emotional show of unity, backlogged resolutions and outstanding questions about the national advocacy organization's internal political and legal struggles.

Delegates passed resolutions to advance gender equality within the AFN, demand compensation for child welfare survivors, seek justice for victims of residential schools and oppose a federal gun-control bill along with provincial legislation in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The AFN's own chiefs criticized it on Tuesday after the previous gathering in July saw internal political bickering overshadow the pressing suite of social issues facing First Nations, which National Chief RoseAnne Archibald acknowledged as she closed the gathering.

"I began by asking this room on Tuesday to do a collective inhale and exhale because there was a lot of nervous energy in the room," she said.

"We made it through this meeting. We got great work done this week."

Despite that progress, an ongoing human resources probe into workplace misconduct allegations against Archibald still looms over her embattled tenure as national chief. 

Archibald has not been available for an interview with investigators despite repeated requests to sit down with her between August and now, said Raquel Chisholm, a partner with law firm Emond Harnden, on Wednesday.

Chisholm told the delegates that when investigators did meet with Archibald, the national chief expressed concerns about the fairness of the process.

Archibald declined interview requests Thursday and only delivered prepared remarks. She maintains the allegations against her are reprisal for her press for financial transparency.

The chiefs also heard on Wednesday that a financial probe, which they voted to commission in July after Archibald accused her own organization of corruption, is in its early stages.

The chiefs put their differences aside Wednesday night following a marathon session where they voted to combine competing resolutions and present Canada with a unified front on compensation for survivors of the child-welfare system.

The chiefs urged Canada to pay a "minimum" of $20 billion to people covered by both a proposed class-action settlement agreement and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal's standing compensation order from 2019.

"We will be able to leave this assembly with a very clear vision that we are united: that that government is not going to divide us, that we are united together," said Squamish Nation Council chairperson Khelsilem as he presented the new resolution, which was produced with the help of retired senator Murray Sinclair.

Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, said the chiefs' decision should send a message to Canada that trying to pit factions of First Nations leaders against each other won't work.