A Mi’kmaq man from Nova Scotia has beat out his Saskatchewan competition to become the new national chief for the Congress of Aboriginal People (CAP).
On Friday, Dwight Dorey was elected as the new leader at CAP’s general assembly in Gatineau Quebec.
Chigal Daniels and Kim Beaudin, both of Saskatchewan, had been running against him.
Dorey takes over after Chief Betty Anne Lavallée announced she’d be resigning a year early to spend more time with ailing family members.
The position is nothing new to Dorey, who had served as national chief from 2000 to 2006. His background includes business experience starting a federally incorporated Aboriginal relations consulting company.
Dorey has written two books, both focusing on legal considerations for aboriginal people.
He says the upcoming Supreme Court of Canada hearing for the case of Daniels v. Canada will mark a turning point for Metis and non-status Aboriginal people and he vows to make its implementation his priority while in office.
Both Chigal Daniels and Kim Beaudin are well-known in Saskatchewan.
Daniels is the daughter of the late Harry Daniels, who was He is the man behind the long-running court case on Metis rights.
Kim Beaudin is the president of the Aboriginal Affairs Coalition of Saskatchewan, a position he has held for seven years.
The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples is the national representative organization advocating for the rights and interests of off-reserve non-Status and Status Indians, the Southern Inuit of Labrador and Métis Peoples.