Atleo Elected Grand Chief

Atleo Elected Grand Chief

Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 14:26

 

 

Shawn Atleo is the new grand chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

 

He won after eight ballots over top challenger Perry Bellgarde.

 

Atleo says there is little time to rest, now that he is in charge, and he wants to push Ottawa to honour its treaty agreements.

 

Former AFN chief Phil Fontaine took the podium shortly after Atleo’s win to give his best wishes.

 

Fontaine says he’ll do whatever he can to help the new chief along.

 

A former chief in Northern Saskatchewan also says he think Atleo will be a fine leader.

 

Phil Morin of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation attended this week’s assembly as a non-voting delegate.

 

He believes Atleo’s operating style will be similar to Fontaine’s.

 

Metis National Council leader Clem Chartier has also issued a press release formally congratulating Atleo and pledging that the two organizations will work together.