APTN National News
Treaty chiefs meeting in Ottawa with the Assembly of First Nations in preparation for Friday’s sit down with Prime Minister Stephen Harper aren’t happy with how the get together is shaping up.
According to chiefs inside the meeting, Harper is only scheduled to attend the opening and closing portions of the meeting.
The Prime Minister’s office is denying this stating that more information will be made available Wednesday.
But chiefs and others say these are the details being handed out by the AFN and that Harper will hand the meeting off to his cabinet ministers before departing.
The hold up by the PMO to confirm details of the meeting may have something to do with treaty chiefs demanding a bigger and longer meeting with Harper after learning the logistics of the meeting provided by the AFN. According to one chief, this is why details have not yet been made public. They are supposed to find out by noon Wednesday if the meeting will be bigger.
The meeting, announced Jan. 4, is set to take place in Ottawa with a delegation of regional chiefs, elders and youth. Exactly what will be discussed will be announced Wednesday.
Only Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan and Treasury Board president Tony Clement are confirmed according to Russell Diabo who attended one of Tuesday’s meetings of 150 chiefs at at a downtown Ottawa hotel.
The place of the meeting is being kept secret for apparent security reasons, but three locations have been identified – Rideau Hall, home of Governor General David Johnston who will not be taking part in the meetings, the Government Conference Centre or Parliament Hill.
The meeting was supposed to begin at 12:30 p.m. and go until 3:30 p.m.
“They’re talking about maybe a post meeting with a smaller group afterward with (Harper). Smaller than the group that is going to be there at the meeting,” said Diabo who works with Algonquin communities in west Quebec.
Diabo wasn’t sure who else would attend.
“I don’t think it seems serious,” said Diabo of the meeting.
Harper had similar plans for last years historic Crown-First Nations Gathering in Ottawa but changed his plans and attended the days sessions including meeting with a select number of chiefs in the afternoon.
All hear say… Nothing more. Wait and see before making all sorts of comments ,
As indigenous nations, we need to see beyond this photo opportunity by Shawn and the rest of Harpers DIA puppets. One of our band managers told me one time; YOU NEVER HOLD AN IMMPORTANT MEETING ON FRIDAYS, EVER. Not if you want anything substantial to come from said meeting.
Everyone in this meeting will be thinking about just getting the hell out of there and getting on with their weekend. How are we as Indigenous Nations with a Treaty and Non – Treaty (Jurisdictional Encroachment) gripes going to conduct ourselves next week.
The media darling DIA chiefs will consider the POLICY MEETING a sucess and plead with the on the ground individuals to hand over the task of dialogue to them. Just like last year. That exact position put our indigenous nations in this no way out but to resist situation we are living today…
Im just saying our INM strategizers need to be smarter than them about next week….
This meeting has turned into a complete farce, of course the PM’s not going to waste his time being blamed for everything from cold weather to bad traffic.
I encourage the Chiefs not to attend the meeting until the GG IS IN attendance and I also encourage Chief Spence. Letting the Goverment play like 5th Graders will only give you the results of a 5th Graders game.
His little tootsies may get chilled…
So basically Harper is showing up just to turn his back and walk out on the AFN Chiefs. Is it any wonder then that the grassroots Idle No More movement has no faith in AFN Chiefs to lead change?
Looks like Stevie doesn’t deserve time with our Chiefs … send our Scouts and Script Writers instead to see what lies he has to offer…. If Chiefs truly respect grassroots of IdleNoMore they’ll stay away from this meeting, unless the Crown rears its ugly head!
Sorry I am a week late, just saw this today.
Well I for one can’t wait! ty FN for standing strong and exposing this ridiculous excuse of a leader Canadians have apparently elected. This is disgraceful. full stop.
sounds like to me divieded and conquer.
Stephen Harper as Prime Minister should be impeached and his cabinet dissolved and he and his selected senate members who have all been going out of their way to destroy the future of this country, it’s people and resources, should all be brought to task on it in the juridical system for the wrong doing they continue to do on a daily basis to this country. They say no one is above the law, and neither is any this crowd!
So in other words, PM Harper will show his face, take a few photos to say “I was there”, and that’s it. What a lame meeting.
I hope there are multiple video cameras trained on his face at the moment he is forced to look Chief Theresa in the eye. He is TERRIFIED of her.