For standing up for ourselves, our beliefs, and folks we love, women are often called a bitch.
When we demand social justice, women are often called a crazy bitch.
Just goes to show you conservative men lack both imagination and decent comeback lines.
So....I had to run out on some real life errands (damn)And while gone we learn that Shawn beat out Perry (again) and finally...finally Perry conceded defeat and we have a new National Chief. Congratulations National Chief Atleo, well done team. I knew it could be done. Just took a little longer than I originally thought.
Later addition:
Sorry, back from more real life work-stuff. Not that what happened in Calgary wasn't real but for me....this other "real" stuff pays the bills.
I also want to congratulate Perry Bellgard and his team. Endurance is everything his team worked hard and stood by him. I know he and many of the people that helped keep Perry nipping at Atleo's heels will be a huge asset to the AFN family. The numbers I think, indicate that the Chiefs also believe both would be an asset to advance economic participation and reduce poverty numbers.
I look forward to hear how the two, Atleo and Bellegarde do come together. If the elections are any indicator, they'd make a formidable team.
Hmmm...so after I posted I got a note that when the electoral officer made the announcement there were boos in the audience. Because there is no more electronic ballots the manual system must be used and that takes longer to count. In my opinion the boos mean that the Chiefs just told Perry - you must know when to quit and you've gone to far. I think he just lost. But I'm just a blogger so can guess whatever I like.
I think there would have been far greater respect if he had conceded or worked an agreement out with Atleo...they are so close in numbers. A lesson had to be learned here and Perry has not matured enough to see it.
Well...One of my gem stones on the floor watched Perry consult with his team...they asked if he would concede and he was adamant NO! He must be hoping to wake more Chiefs up....or bribe more with better coffee? So...we are in for an eighth ballot - but that's Perry for you. But is this a good quality, and what about Atleo?....tenacious or just a bulldog with a strong jaw and not much else...all I know is something must give.
(update) Perry just announced he would not concede but would let the Chiefs decide. How noble.
Lots of noise and it appears the Chiefs in the hall are demanding a resolution of some kind...People have started to yell "speech" from the crowd. Tempers must be strained after a night of negotiations, strategies, and no doubt some begging to the Creator for strength to stay awake! The electoral officer asked the floor if there was consensus but there were shouts of NO!....But wait....cheering from one corner of the room....stand by.....
Yes I fell asleep but it looks like nobody else did in Calgary. They are in the sixth ballot and the crowds have entered back into the main room....Shawn's crowd is loud....but no telling what that means...jacked up on caffeine maybe? Despite the all night tension and tied ballots I hear fun can be had! There was a rounding rendition of Dayo, the crowd performed the 'wave' and I heard a coffee scalper got $10 for her java! AND...the security guards protested the long hours and left. (obviously they don't know you're supposed to use a barricade in a protest and not leave! Geeesh!)
But can you believe you believe a tie in the fifth would take them to the SIXTH ballot. I honestly don't remember when that happened before...trying to find out if it has.
498 ballots cast 0 destroyed
Atleo 256 Bellegarde 242
Voted needed for 60% is 299
Now we wait to seat if Bellegarde is a gentleman and withdraws of forces a seventh ballot...I say he withdraws...bu this is Perry and nothing polite about him or politics.
There was a brief meeting between Perry and Shawn behind closed doors. Both men emerged smiling and determined. They were expected to make a deal that the winner would take all on the next ballot, but upon emerging they swore no deal was made. If there is a deal they are keeping it close to their chest. The AFN executive met trying to figure out what to do if the vote keeps going without result, but no solution seems possible. They are tied to the AFN charter and thier lawyers can find no resolution.
We await ballot number 6. ....12 more minutes.
The coffee shop downstairs stayed open all night. Nevertheless I've seen 2 or 3 chiefs konked out on couches and chairs around the centre. It's anyone's guess.
The race is on. Nominations have opened for the leadership of the AFN, and today incumbent Phil Fontaine announced, as expected, that he will not run again. So who will take the top position? Let's meet the candidates.
The straight.com says Sean Atleo, currently the Regional Chief of BC is most likely to win, and that's probably right. An excellent speaker and a hard worker, Alteo is probably best known in Indian Country for quelling the embarrasing public squabbling that once plagued BC's two First Nations political organizations the First Nations summit and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs. What is little known about Sean Atleo is that he is only 5'2" making him the shortest candidate. From the most likely to the least likely - Terrance Nelson, chief of Roseau River First Nation in Manitoba. Terry Nelson is sort of like older lazy version of Shawn Brant . (A comparison in the non-native world would be an old hippie.) Terry thinks he's a member of AIM and is known for pitching radical civil disobedience schemes that he rarely follows through on. When it comes to controlling natural resources he is asovereignist who believes Indians should harvest and export to other countries but when it comes to getting re-elected he doesn't mind upholding the Indian Act. Terry is bat-shit crazy and will be the most exciting candidate to watch if he lets loose. Let's hope he does.
Then we have two middle candidates, and no one is sure how they will fare. An upset to the crowning of Atleo is possible.
Perry Bellegarde is a former chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians (FSIN)elected 1998 at the tender age of 35, until 2003 when a scandal, that he was not directly involved in, broke over the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority. He's been away from politics for some time. Perry thinks he's good-looking, is very serious and is the only Indian I ever met whose not funny.
Grand Chief John Beaucage is from Ontario, leads the led the 42 member First Nations of the Anishinabek Nation, and has some of the most progressive ideas, none of which are going to help him win votes.(really in Indian politics, there usually isn't much variation on policies - eliminated poverty/ec dev and education, treaty rights, self-government, health care, the environment, with cultural rights usually present but not as politicized)For example, his first press release as a candidate announced that he'd support universal suffrage (one Indian, one vote) for National Chief. Currently only chiefs get to vote, and most of them would like to keep it that way. But if press releases win votes, Beaucage may have an edge. In a single month he's issued press releases on: education, tobacco, border-crossingkelownacitizenship and more.
It's not certain if the candidates will appear in an all-candidates debate on APTN this year. In past years candidates have failed to commit to a televised debate. However 3 of the 4 candidates have agreed to hold a all-candidates forum in Ottawa at the Odawa Friendship centre in two weeks. Elections for national chief are scheduled for July 22 in Calgary.
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