‘VOTE OF CONFIDENCE’
Cameron retains top post at FSIN
Bobby Cameron emphasized unity and progress while downplaying divisions in the moments after he was re-elected with a strong mandate to his second term as chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.
“It gives us the vote of confidence. It gives us the comforting feeling that our leaders are behind us,” Cameron said of his victory, which ended the FSIN’S two-day assembly Thursday in Saskatoon.
Cameron, 44, won a landslide victory, taking 727, or 76.6 per cent, of the 949 ballots cast at the assembly. His sole challenger, Thunderchild First Nation Chief Delbert Wapass, received 216, or 22.8 per cent.
Speaking with reporters at the end of a “challenging ” four-week campaign, Cameron — a former teacher from Witchekan Lake First Nation — said his priority is to continue advocating for inherent and treaty rights.
“Moving forward, that’s what we’re going to continue doing,” he told reporters, adding that areas of particular interest include housing, child welfare and education.
Cameron’s re-election comes as the federation grapples with multiple controversies, and a growing call for institutional reform from insiders, chiefs and its two youth representatives, who said a “hard reset” is needed.
During the 30-day election campaign, others — including the federation itself — downplayed some of the controversies as politically motivated. After his election, Cameron echoed that, saying “the battle isn’t within” the organization.
“The bigger battle out there is with the provincial and federal government,” he said.
Those controversies include a leaked video of a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, police being called to the FSIN’S headquarters to mediate an internal dispute, and a claim police are probing an allegation of “financial irregularities.”
Before the results were announced, Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand — who has previously called for the federation to leave program delivery to tribal councils and individual First Nations — told reporters “divide and conquer” tactics suggest change is needed.
That means updating its policies to avoid “grey areas” — a reference to internal conflict over the position of interim chief — as well as returning the federation to its original mandate of defending treaty and inherent rights, Arcand said outside TCU Place on Thursday.
Incumbent Edward “Dutch” Lerat was re-elected to his position as FSIN third vice-chief with 467 votes, or approximately 49 per cent, over challengers Corey Bugler (355 votes) and Christine Jack (124 votes).
The first vice-chief position will be held by Morley Watson, who won with 524 votes, or approximately 55 per cent of the total. His sole challenger, Darin Poorman, received 414 votes, or approximately 44 per cent of the ballots cast.
In his victory speech, Lerat said the FSIN will “be a collective moving forward,” while Watson acknowledged the FSIN is going through a “tough time,” and urged its members to “stick together” and “speak with one voice.”