Francis Verreault-Paul picked by Assembly of First Nations as Quebec-Labrador chief

MONTREAL — Francis Verreault-Paul has been elected the new regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations for Quebec and Labrador.

Verreault-Paul, 37, from the Innu community of Mashteuiatsh in Quebec’s Lac-St-Jean region, takes over from Ghislain Picard, who stepped down after 33 years in the role and 11 terms as chief.

“I commit to be a unifying voice, to listen, to act and to carry our claims forward with conviction,” Verreault-Paul, who before the vote served as chief of staff at the assembly, said in a news release on Wednesday.

After a vote Tuesday in Lac-Beauport, Que., north of Quebec City, Verreault-Paul beat three other candidates: Constant Awashish, grand chief of the Atikamekw Nation council; Cathy Martin, council member of the Listuguj Mi’kmaq government; and Monik Kistabish, chief of the Abitibiwinni First Nation.

The chiefs of the 43 communities represented by the assembly were eligible to vote, with 36 casting a ballot. Verreault-Paul received 21 votes, needing at least half of votes cast to win the election.

He played hockey in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and at McGill University, which congratulated the member of its sports hall of fame for his new role. Verreault-Paul also played hockey professionally in the United States and in Europe.

A spokesperson for the assembly said Verreault-Paul was scheduled to preside over his first assembly meeting as chief on Wednesday at the hotel where the vote took place.

In the news release, Verreault-Paul said he accepted the role with commitment and humility.

“The trust placed in me by the table of grand chiefs and chiefs of the AFNQL is an immense privilege,” he said. “Issues and priorities will be defined in consultation with all chiefs, to ensure that the interests and needs of each community are fully taken into account.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2025.

The Canadian Press