Assembly of First Nations
National/Regional
National Organization
AFN is an advocacy organization, taking direction and fulfilling mandates as directed by First Nations-in-Assembly through resolutions.
As a national advocacy organization for First Nations, the AFN seeks to advance First Nations Inherent and Treaty Rights through the development policy, public education and where applicable, the co-development of legislation to build First Nations capacity.
The AFN was created out of a desire among First Nations leadership for a strong and effective collective advocacy organization. From this, values such as respect for human rights, diversity, justice, and the sovereignty of each rights-holding First Nation guide the work of the organization.
The various policy areas the AFN engages in are determined by First Nations-In-Assembly, which meet twice a year to pass resolutions that decides the mandate of the organization. These mandates include advancing First Nations health, economies, the environment, education, languages, clean water, social development, infrastructure, among others.
With the discovery of unmarked graves at former residential institutions, the AFN is working to establish funding and resources for the recovery effort.
Communities
Key Activities
- Rights & Justice
- Community Services
- Environment & Lands
- Economy & Infrastructure
A history of leadership for positive change.
The AFN has been serving First Nations from coast-to-coast-to-coast for decades, with a history of chiefs, political landscapes, and government resistance. Assemblies have been documented as far back as 1870, with organizational name changes, elected chiefs, and ever-changing needs.
When the National Indian Brotherhood (NIB) formed a single cohesive lobby group in 1970, there was criticism that it was not truly representative of all the Status First Nations across the country.
That rang true in 1979, when 300 status First Nations and Chiefs traveled to London, England to halt the repatriation of the Canadian Constitution. The Constitution repatriation battle caused, and identified the need, for the NIB to restructure and in 1982 The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) was formed under Dr. David Ahenakew in Penticton, B.C.