Saskatchewan may continue to be the home of the Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), following the departure of Perry Bellegarde.
Wednesday and Thursday mark the election dates for the title, with polls on their third go-around heading into Wednesday evening.
Seventeen-year chief of the Muskowekwan First Nation, Reginald Bellerose, is hoping to secure the title and is leading through two polls.
“I’m feelin’ good. We’ve worked hard, our team, we’re really focused,” he told 650 CKOM early Wednesday afternoon at the Dakota Dunes Casino — Bellerose’s campaign headquarters.
“We’ve been just working, talking to chiefs all morning. We have a good opportunity to make a contribution to First Nations across the country. Our team is committed to greeting each day as a blessing, treating it as a privilege to serve the chiefs of Canada, every day, working towards a common agenda with a united vision.”
Bellerose described his experience on the campaign trail as 100 miles per hour, every day. He said it’s been a positive experience, and a positive, healthy campaign.
“We’re just focusing on what we can do for the country,” he added.
Bellerose’s candidacy was seconded by Whitecap Dakota First Nation Chief Darcy Bear. He said he’s been with Bellerose on a number of different boards, including SIGA and SIIT.
“He knows the issues, he knows what we’re all facing because he’s been there,” he said.
“What you need to make sure is that the individual running for national chief has the experience. They now have to represent all First Nations in Canada. It doesn’t matter where the individual is from, as long as it’s a strong candidate. I believe that out of the candidates that Reg is that strong candidate.”
Bear said as First Nations people, the leader must be able to bring everyone together on certain issues, and he wants a strong advocate in the AFN office.
And he believes Bellerose is the person for the job.
“There’s lots of lobbying that’s going to happen at that national level,” he said. “I have seen (Bellerose) in board meetings …(He) listens to everyone around the table, including our staff — not just our board members. He’s that type of individual.”
Bellerose describes the experience as a gift that all the chiefs of Saskatchewan are giving him, as a return for his long contributions for Saskatchewan’s Indigenous community.
He said if elected, he has a Day 1 document ready to go.
“I’m not waiting until tomorrow. (There are) some priorities in the country. Are they missing children in unmarked graves? We’ve got a strategy on that. We’ve got a strategy on gaming,” Bellerose said. “We’ve got the fisheries, a priority across the country. We definitely want to get that one out.”
When speaking of the federal, provincial and local announcement on Cowessess First Nation on Tuesday, where the community took control of its family and child welfare systems, Bellerose commended Chief Cadmus Delorme for taking the first step.
“It’s an important step. Every journey starts with a first step,” he said. “That focus for (Bill) C-92, I was the sponsor of the resolution. We’re focused on it right across the country.”
He said he wants a national focus on this item, as articles one through five of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee report are about modern-day child welfare.
“There are more children in child welfare than there was in residential schools. We’ve just got to create awareness,” he added.
On the topic of residential schools, Bellerose said he wants to focus on the rights holders of the sites, the First Nations and the chiefs.
“I want to bring together the impacted communities that have had these sites. We’ll bring them together, have a discussion and collectively, we’ll see how we want to move forward,” he said.
In moving forward, he’s looking for engagement from the communities, Indigenous input, mental health supports following these announcements — for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, as he said he knows many are breaking down looking at the horrific news.
The team is hoping to also look for the highest designation in the country for these residential school sites, and creating that of the highest designation in the nation in the spirit of reconciliation.
As of the second ballot early Wednesday evening, Bellerose was leading in the race.
His 113 votes held a slim lead on Ontario’s RoseAnne Archibald (110).
Northern Ontario’s Alvin Fiddler (76) and Alberta’s Jodi Calahoo-Stonehouse (27) round out the remaining candidates.
Reports indicate Manitoba’s Kevin T. Hart (25) has conceded and will throw his support behind Bellerose.
The third ballot is expected at 8 p.m. Saskatchewan time.