The president of the coalition of Indigenous Peoples of Saskatchewan has won a key role in the national organization.
Kim Beaudin defeated three challengers to be elected Vice Chief of the congress of the Congress of Aborginal peoples during the group’s annual general meeting held in Gatineau, Quebec over the weekend.
Beaudin says the congress has been plagued by internal struggles for years. He says it is time to move past that and get focused.
“It’s been years, a few years now, and we are still trying to bury the hatchet,” he said. “I mean that has been dogging us for quite a while.”
Beaudin says there are greater issues at stake. He says there is a movement afoot by other aboriginal organizations, like the Assembly of First Nations to silence the voice of the congress.
He also says the group does not have standing at the negotiating table with Ottawa, nor does it get any federal funding. He says the congress is powerful voice for off reserve aboriginals and Metis. He estimates that group to number about 70 to 80 thousand in Saskatchewan alone.
Beaudin has served four teams as president of the Aboriginal affairs coalition of Saskatchewan.