A special meeting of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) during which a new chief will be elected opened Tuesday in Ottawa.
The election of the organization’s next national leader follows a turbulent period in which the AFN’s internal politics were as high-profile as its advocacy of the interests of some 600 member First Nations in Canada.
Former Assembly of First Nations national chief RoseAnne Archibald was ousted after her colleagues accused her of creating a toxic work environment. Mme Archibald has denied the allegations.
Six candidates seek to convince leaders and their proxies why they are best suited to lead the organization. They are Reginald Bellerose, Craig Makinaw, Sheila North, David Pratt, Dean Sayers and Cindy Woodhouse.
The vote is scheduled for Wednesday.
The leaders are also using this week’s meeting to advance other interests. There are more than 40 resolutions under discussion, focusing on issues such as child welfare, health care and homelessness.
The meeting will end on Thursday.
To watch on video