AFN to elect new leader amid questions about organization’s relevance

Ghislain Picard, Perry Bellegarde and Leon Jourdaine are vying for the job of national chief at the Assembly of First Nations. Voting takes place in Winnipeg on Dec. 10. (Chris Wattie/Reuters, Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press, Facebook)

3 candidates vying to replace Shawn Atleo as Assembly of First Nations’ national chief

By Chinta Puxley, The Canadian Press/CBC News, Dec 8, 2014

Outside Winnipeg’s convention centre, a sacred fire is burning.

Inside the building, chiefs from across the country are meeting to elect a new national leader for the Assembly of First Nations amid questions on whether the organization is still a relevant voice for aboriginal people.

As the assembly prepares for some soul-searching over the next three days, many say it will take a monumental shift to regain the support of the next generation.