The Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Ontario’s most remote group of First Nations, has elected a new Grand Chief.Colin Perkel/The Canadian Press
The new Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation – Ontario’s largest and most remote group of First Nations – says climate change and supports for residential school survivors during searches for unmarked burial sites are among his priorities.
On Thursday in a virtual assembly, Grand Chief Derek Fox told chiefs who elected him to a three-year term the day before that ensuring First Nations students from the remote north return to school safely in the fall will also be important as variants of the novel coronavirus such as Delta continue to threaten public health.
Mr. Fox is a familiar face within Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) – he was elected as one of three deputy grand chiefs in 2015, and again in 2018. NAN is a political organization representing 49 First Nations in Northern Ontario, many of them remote and reachable only by plane.
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A lawyer from Bearskin Lake First Nation, a fly-in community about 620 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Mr. Fox was also a legal policy adviser for former Assembly of First Nations Chief Perry Bellegarde during his 90-day transition into office in 2014. His father, Charles Fox, served as Grand Chief from 1994 to 2000.
Mr. Fox told the chiefs in assembly on Thursday that it is important to protect NAN communities and land from the effects of climate change. He noted the hundreds of forest fire evacuees from NAN who had to flee their communities this summer, and warned it will happen again next year.
“We can’t keep scrambling when something like this happens,” he said
As deputy grand chief, Mr. Fox worked on the education, languages, justice and youth portfolios, often engaging with First Nations youth through tradition and culture with hunting trips and other land-based activities, and pushing governments for equitable education.
Mr. Fox replaces Alvin Fiddler, who was Grand Chief since 2015, and didn’t seek a third term, instead throwing his hat into the ring for the AFN National Chief election in July. RoseAnne Archibald was elected to the post.
Outgoing Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler said the work of Nishnawbe Aski Nation during his two terms focused on the health and well-being of its 49 remote communities – something that will have to continue.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Mr. Fiddler said his successor is grounded in community and is an effective communicator with a strong background working with youth – something that comes from Mr. Fox’s personal experience with sports and outdoor recreation growing up in NAN and Thunder Bay.
Mr. Fiddler said the work of NAN during his two terms as Grand Chief focused on the health and well-being of its 49 remote communities – something that will have to continue, including Choose Life, a suicide prevention program funded through the federal government’s Jordan’s Principle. He said a pandemic recovery framework should also be developed to ensure community members get support for things such as addictions and health care as the pandemic takes its toll on mental health.
He said that, with a federal election expected soon and a provincial election in another year, it is also urgent to push forward issues such as climate change and an effective emergency management system for the NAN communities that face forest-fire and flood evacuations.
“With Derek having been there these last few years, he has the knowledge and support he will need to carry these forward,” Mr. Fiddler said.
A child of two residential school survivors, Mr. Fox said he considers himself a survivor and that NAN needs to play a huge role in the work to search for and return the remains of students who never made it home from the institutions.
Mr. Fox said he will spend his first 100 days in office visiting communities and people to hear their issues and visions. Three deputy grand chiefs were also elected on Wednesday.
NAN receives mandates from its chiefs to advocate for and negotiate with levels of government for things such as a First Nations policing agreement and clean, safe drinking water. The organization also helped the Ornge air-ambulance service co-ordinate a successful mass vaccination operation to NAN communities over the winter.
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