WINNIPEG — The new national chief of the Assembly of First Nations says it will no longer be business as usual when it comes to development on First Nations land.
Perry Bellegarde of Saskatchewan says governments and resource companies will no longer “grow fat” off First Nations while aboriginal people live in poverty.
Bellegarde says the values of fairness and tolerance that Canada shows to the rest of the world are lies when it comes to First Nations people.
Bellegarde took 63 per cent of the 464 first-ballot votes cast in Winnipeg, more than the 60 per cent required for victory.
Ghislain Picard, the assembly's interim leader, finished second, and Leon Jourdain from Ontario was third.
The AFN's top job came open earlier this year when former national chief Shawn Atleo resigned due to fallout from his support of a controversial federal act to reform First Nations education.