By Kelly Malone

First female chief takes reins at FSIN

Dec 11, 2014 | 5:07 PM

The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) has a woman in the top role for the first time in history.

Chief Kimberly Jonathan will lead the FSIN until a new chief is elected at an assembly next October. Jonathan took over the position after former FSIN Chief Perry Bellegarde was voted in as the national Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) on Wednesday.

“I know there is a lot of expectation that there would be fear, but I feel calm,” Jonathan said after returning from the AFN assembly Thursday afternoon. “The chiefs in the past have laid a strong foundation for the leadership coming forward… In terms of the work in front of us, as the executive team and me as the interim chief of the federation, it continues with the work that Chief Perry Bellegarde was mandated to complete.”

Jonathan, who is Dakota and Cree, was elected as the first vice-chief in 2012. Previously, she worked with the Prince Albert Grand Council and at the White Buffalo Treatment Centre for youth. Throughout her career, she was a Board Member with the First Nations University of Canada and with Indian Child and Family Services.

Jonathan said she is confident in her ability to do the work but the responsibility to represent the women across First Nations’ communities in the province is a top priority.

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“As the first female chief of the federation, it’s so exciting. I think of the people right in their homes, at our home communities, our home fires, within our nations and what message this is sending our baby girls that are there,” Jonathan said.

“Anytime we have an indigenous woman take the reins of anything and accomplish so much, it’s not their individual accomplishment…. it’s our nation’s accomplishments.”

Jonathan pointed to the work of First Nations women across the province including Okanese First Nation chief Marie-Anne Daywalker-Pelletier and her vice-chief, Heather Bear. She said indigenous women are standing up and being heard on their own terms.

“What makes it okay for our women to be disrespected? What makes it okay for our women to be hurt and violated on many fronts?… What makes it okay for a woman to walk into a room and be disrespected, we feel that,” she said.

“It’s time to push through that and plow through that and take our rightful place as indigenous women and as leaders. To let people know that it’s not okay, it never was okay, and we will not tolerate that.”

Her experience as a mother, an advocate and a member of the FSIN have shaped her priorities which include: child welfare; non-insured health benefits; missing and murdered indigenous women; and understanding underlying issues linked to poverty and violence.

“What I bring to the table are those strengths of the teachings and values of ceremony,” she said.

“I’ve been told over and over these last few years that those ways of being, our teachings, our ceremonies do belong in our leadership at this level, at the regional level, at our tables.”

After Wednesday’s election, Jonathan and the vice-chiefs Bear, Bobby Cameron and Edward Dutch Lerat got together and spoke about bringing the idea of family into their priorities of inherent and treaty rights.

“(We will) continue with the mandate provided with the chiefs in the assembly… Those priorities don’t change with a new chief,” she said, adding they will still have to tackle the difficult financial times at the FSIN.

“The thing with our indigenous nations and what we see at our home fires… is historically (we) come together with strength. Whenever we face adversity we come together strong and we come together united as family, with love, and with respect.”

There will be more work with provincial and federal governments but Jonathan said it’s good to know a Saskatchewan friend and colleague will be at the helm of the AFN.

“There will be a huge strength for Saskatchewan nations because (Bellegarde) understands the needs for Saskatchewan nations and he understands the direction of the chiefs,” she said.

“We are looking forward to working with the new national chief and to continue the work on treaty advocacy… He understands that very well, so it’s very exciting.”

Although Jonathan said she understands what women in leadership will mean to young girls, she is driven to help all First Nations people succeed.

“I am looking forward to welcoming the challenges that are in front of us,” she said.

“I will approach them with humility but also with confidence and strength.”

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