Fontaine weighing potential bid for National Chief

By Len Kruzenga

Winnipeg-With the election for AFN National Chief only two months away potential candidates for the job are already testing the political waters.

In a recent Canadian Press report carried nationally, AFN Vice-Chief Ken Young confirmed that Phil Fontaine is considering another run at the job, which he lost to Matthew Coon Come during the last election held in Ottawa in 2000.

And reports have also surfaced that those attempting to persuade Fontaine to make a bid for the job have also been discretely polling influential chiefs and regional political organizations across the country to determine his preliminary level of support.

Fontaine served as the AFN leader from 1997-2000 after unseating Ovide Mercredi. However he failed to secure a second term from Canada's 600 plus chiefs, a result that clearly disappointed him after he had managed to secure a number of significant concessions and agreements from the federal government and mended the previously poisoned relationship between the two groups.

During his bid for a second-term Fontaine urged the chiefs to capitalize on the momentum of his first four years in office, warning that a return to the antagonistic and confrontational politics espoused by Coon Come and his political advisor Ovide Mercredi offered no hope for concrete progress or substantive change for first nations people.

Many political observers noted that Fontaine's loss was more a rejection of the style and tactics employed by members of his election team rather than his record.
"Phil didn't lose the election it was lost for him by people in his election team who let their own egos and agenda get in the way. He's by far the most articulate and charismatic of our leaders both to our own people and the Canadian public and that's important if we want to be heard and have the support of Canadians for our rights," noted Dwain Bird, who attended the AFN convention in 2000 as an observer.

"The problem Phil had was more to do with the campaign people he surrounded himself with, they were perceived as pretty nasty and two-faced and that pissed off many of the chiefs. Matthew came across as more down to earth and his campaign team behaved a lot more graciously and in keeping with our reluctance to engage in public personal attacks."

Bird also said potential candidates will have to pay far greater attention to the more influential Aboriginal media outlets.

"Phil's team seemed to go out of their way to alienate the Aboriginal media and play up to the big mainstream newspapers and TV and radio stations. But the fact is our people and the chiefs read and listen to the sources that actually know and understand what's going on in our communities. Big headlines in the Globe or National Post play to mainstream Canada and the politicians not to our community," said Bird.
While Coon Come has not officially thrown his hat into the ring, some AFN insiders say he will be forced to run, if only to salvage a reputation severely damaged by the widespread contention that the AFN has effectively marginalized itself on the national political front and fallen victim to internal bickering.

Increasingly that contention is gaining currency as B.C's vice-chief at the AFN, Herb George, has urged chiefs of the First Nations' Summit to "withdraw public support for the national chief and executive."

"The majority of the B.C. chiefs have made it clear they are adamantly opposed to the direction that the AFN is moving.

In a letter sent to B.C. chiefs after he and Manny Jules were removed from the fiscal relations committee, apparently over their support for Bill C-19, a part of Robert Nault's suite of new Indian legislation, George didn't mince words.

"The national executive appears unable and unwilling to take a position on matters that affect the political credibility of the AFN, including enforcing and respecting its constitution."

While the move by George can arguably be drawn as a fight between the B.C. Summit and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) who disagree strongly on Bill C-19 and the Modern Day Treaty process, the conflict underscores the increased dissension between various groups and chiefs who make up the Chiefs in Confederacy

UBCIC head Stewart Phillip responded to George's comments and position painting them as those of a "collaborator" working against the best interests of his own people.

Stewart's name has also come up as a potential candidate for the AFN leadership post

And Six Nation's Chief Roberta Jamieson is also rumoured to be contemplating a run for the National Chief's post.

While Jamieson has managed to cut out a national profile with her relentless criticism of Robert Nault and the FNGA, at least one Six Nations insider says her inability to accept fundamental principles of democracy on her own reserve undermines her potential credibility.

"She hasn't shown much willingness to be accountable to her own community and treats anyone who questions her with complete arrogance," said the senior council staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "She's refused to make information accessible to the people and even the media here like Turtle Island News so if she can't handle the local heat how will she ever handle it on a national scale?"