A vice-chief with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations is stepping down.
Simon Bird has tendered his resignation and is taking on a position as the superintendent of education with the Stoney Nakoda Tribal Authority in Morley, Alberta.
Bird says he had decided not to seek re-election and was looking for new opportunities.
He admits the ongoing fiscal troubles at the FSIN did play a role in his decision.
“When I started to really contemplate being cut as soon as April 1, I made peace with it and I came to terms possibly how my future was,” he says.
The organization has been struggling in recent months due to federal cutbacks and at a spring assembly delegates voted in favour of the vice-chiefs taking a pay cut.
Bird adds his new job will give him more time to spend with family.
“I wanted to focus on my family, my little girl was three-years-old when I started and she will be six-years-old. And kids grow up very fast and it’s been very hard on my family being on the road very often as anybody who has a family member in public service will attest.”
He says the FSIN performs a vital role for the 74 First Nations it serves but the cutbacks have made it that much more difficult to perform this job properly.
The federation heads into elections in the fall.