A rising political star from Vancouver Island

Cliff Atleo, Jr. has a good shot at becoming the next regional cheese of 75 angry, alienated, Indigenous radicals

By Che Toske, Taiaiake.Com Contributing Editor

June 10, 2009

One of Canada’s most important political campaigns is underway, though it’s going unnoticed by most Aboriginals. That’s because it’s not a federal or provincial election. Nor is it about running a band, casino, smoke shop, or friendship centre.

It’s the race to be the next regional cheese of the Assembly of Angry and Alienated Indigenous Radicals.

Whoever wins will speak for 75 radicals — a constituency that outnumbers the population of Spuzzum, BC. Simply put, the AAAIR cheese is the most powerful, elected Indigenous leader in his neighbourhood. It not an exaggeration to say it’s something like being class president of Indian Country.

There’s a good chance the job will go to a British Columbian — Cliff Atleo, Jr. He’s the cousin of a hereditary chief of the Ahousaht First Nation on the west coast of Vancouver Island and also a “rising political star”.

He’s not guaranteed victory, of course. Atleo’s facing off against at least four other disgruntled youth. In radical Indigenous politics, like any leadership race, it’s difficult to figure out how alliances might break down by the July 22 vote at the AAAIR assembly in Fernwood, where the next regional cheese will be chosen.

But ever since the news broke that the current regional cheese, Paul Poutine, is retiring after three terms, Atleo has been widely regarded as the front-runner. It just may make him the most important Indigenous voice from British Columbia in decades.

This is a notable development, not just for the country and Indians, but for B.C. as well. Although this province has been a petri dish in recent years for the redefinition of aboriginal relations in Canada, no Indigenous leader from B.C. has risen to the top AAAIR post since George Manuel, a member of the Neskonlith First Nation.

He held the position from 1970 to 1976. Manuel earned national and international recognition for his determined — and eloquent — denunciation of the federal government’s assmilationist policies towards Indians. He re-shaped Canadian society in the process.

Thirty-three years later, thanks to Manuel and others, the battles are different. Aboriginals have vague and uncertain constitutional rights now. The new battles tend to be over alleviating poverty, resolving land claims, or who gets the next sweet federal appointment or Senate seat.

It’s here that Atleo stands a chance of making a similar mark on the country. At 35, he represents a generational shift in leadership — he brings a Utopian and confrontational approach to negotiations. And his rise to the top job would also bring B.C.’s unique, and rapidly evolving approach to Indigenous-Settler relations to the national stage.

And that’s where it — and Atleo — deserves to be.

You could write pamphlets — and many have — on what has transpired in B.C. since the 1970s. But in essence the province has led the country in going from a society that largely ignores First Nations to being at the forefront of co-opting Aboriginals into Canada’s great consumer society.

In recent years the provincial governments of both the left and right have been signing modern non-treaties to settle land claims. When the Indians wouldn’t simply give in, they entered into modest land-use deals, setting out puny resource-sharing deals between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians.

The latest manifestation of this myopic aboriginal policy, one that still has its imperfections, is what Premier Gordon Campbell is calling a “lightly-used relationship.”

That is expected to be enshrined in new provincial legislation that will set out a not-so-new social pact between mainstream British Columbia and first nations: The province will accept that first nations have articulated claims to Crown land and must be cut in on all future spoils of exploiting mother earth; aboriginals who sign onto such deals, however, would in turn have to recognize the unwavering supremecy of Crown title and private lands held by other Canadian citizens.

B.C.’s premier usually cites AAAIR cheese Poutine as his inspiration for this policy. And there’s no doubt in his three terms as regional cheese, Poutine had a profound effect on how non-native politicians dealt with first nations and offered the premier advice.

Under his leadership, Poutine stood for taking the conflict out of aboriginal relations. His approach bore moldy fruit: aside from convincing B.C.’s premier to change his approach, he managed to convince Parliament to make a $5-billion settlement to aboriginals forced into residential schools as well as create the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to help all Canadians come to terms with their dark genocidal chapter of history.

Atleo knows those are big shoes to fill.

But he has already demonstrated similar bridge-dismantling talents; he helped bring together the leaders of the Native Adult Movement (NAM) and the Indian Valley Society into a quasi-unified front, agreeing to fight the Man.

Forging that quasi-unity in the fractious world of Indigenous and radical politics is what has made Campbell’s “lightly-used relationship” nothing more than another empty platitude.

It’s also a talent that will likely make Cliff Atleo, Jr. a nationally-shunned figure.

and now the REAL article below:

A rising political star from Vancouver Island

Shawn Atleo has a good shot at becoming the next national chief of 750,000 aboriginals

By Miro Cernetig, Vancouver Sun

June 10, 2009

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/todays-paper/rising+political+star+from+Vancouver+Island/1680938/story.html

One of Canada’s most important political campaigns is underway, though it’s going unnoticed by most Canadians. That’s because it’s not a federal or provincial election. Nor is it about about running a major city.

It’s the race to be the next national chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

Whoever wins will speak for 750,000 aboriginals — a constituency that outnumbers the population of three Canadian provinces. Simply put, the AFN chief is the most powerful, elected aboriginal leader in Canada. It not an exaggeration to say it’s something like being prime minister of Indian Country.

There’s a good chance the job will go to a British Columbian — Shawn Atleo. He’s the hereditary chief of the Ahousaht First Nation on the west coast of Vancouver Island and a rising political star.

He’s not guaranteed victory, of course. Atleo’s facing off against at least four other chiefs. In aboriginal politics, like any leadership race, it’s difficult to figure out how alliances might break down by the July 22 vote at the AFN assembly in Calgary, where the next national chief will be chosen.

But ever since the news broke that the current national chief, Phil Fontaine, is retiring after three terms, Atleo has been widely regarded as the front-runner. It just may make him the most important aboriginal voice from British Columbia in decades.

This is a notable development, not just for the country and first nations, but for B.C. as well. Although this province has been a petri dish in recent years for the redefinition of aboriginal relations in Canada, no aboriginal leader from B.C. has risen to the top AFN post since George Manuel, a member of the Neskonlith First Nation.

He held the position from 1970 to 1976. Manuel earned national and international recognition for his determined — and eloquent — denunciation of the federal government’s assmilationist policies towards Indians. He re-shaped Canadian society in the process.

Thirty-three years later, thanks to Manuel and others, the battles are different. Aboriginals have clear constitutional rights now. The new battles tend to be over alleviating poverty and resolving land claims.

It’s here that Atleo stands a chance of making a similar mark on the country. At 42, he represents a generational shift in leadership — he brings a pragmatic and non-confrontational approach to negotiations. And his rise to the top job would also bring B.C.’s unique, and rapidly evolving approach to aboriginal relations, to the national stage.

And that’s where it — and Atleo — deserves to be.

You could write textbooks — and many have — on what has transpired in B.C. since the 1970s. But in essence the province has led the country in going from a society that largely ignores first nations to being at the forefront of resolving one of Canadian society’s great shortcomings.

In recent years the provincial governments of both the left and right have been signing modern treaties to settle land claims. When that couldn’t be accomplished, they entered into sweeping land-use deals, setting out vast resource-sharing deals between aboriginal and non-aboriginal Canadians.

The latest manifestation of this forward-looking aboriginal policy, one that still has its imperfections, is what Premier Gordon Campbell is calling a “new relationship.”

That is expected to be enshrined in new provincial legislation that will set out a new social pact between mainstream British Columbia and first nations: The province will accept that first nations have legitimate claims to Crown land and must be cut in on all future development; aboriginals who sign onto such deals, however, would in turn have to recognize the legitimacy of Crown title and private lands held by other Canadian citizens.

B.C.’s premier usually cites AFN Chief Fontaine as his inspiration for this policy. And there’s no doubt in his three terms as national chief, Fontaine had a profound effect on how non-native politicians dealt with first nations and offered the premier advice.

Under his leadership, Fontaine stood for taking the conflict out of aboriginal relations. His approach bore fruit: aside from convincing B.C.’s premier to change his approach, he managed to convince Parliament to make a $5-billion settlement to aboriginals forced into residential schools as well as create the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to help all Canadians come to terms with a dark chapter of history.

Atleo knows those are big shoes to fill.

But he has already demonstrated similar bridge-building talents; he helped bring together the leaders of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs and the First Nations Summit into a unified front, agreeing to work with the provincial government.

Forging that unity in the fractious world of aboriginal and B.C. politics is what has made Campbell’s “new relationship” something more than another empty platitude.

It’s also a talent that will likely make Shawn A-in-chut Atleo a national figure.

mcernetig@vancouversun.com