Chiefs Re-Elect Fontaine

Chiefs Re-Elect Fontaine

Wednesday, July 12, 2006 at 14:18

The incumbent national chief of the Assembly of First Nations has won another term.

Phil Fontaine will serve another two years in office after defeating challenger Bill Wilson in the election at the AFN’s annual convention in Vancouver today.

Fontaine received roughly 75 per cent of the votes cast by Canada’s 633 First Nations chiefs. He needed 60 per cent to claim victory.

It’s believed Saskatchewan chiefs backed Fontaine. Lac La Ronge Indian Band chief Tammy Cook-Searson indicated before today’s election that Saskatchewan First Nations leaders felt more comfortable with Fontaine and were happy with his track record.

In the days leading up to the vote, Wilson tried unsuccessfully to convince the chiefs that Fontaine didn’t have the necessary political connections with the new Conservatives, given Fontaine’s ties to the Liberals.