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RoseAnne Archibald to lead Assembly of First Nations as national chief

From Taykwa Tagamou Nation, Archibald is the first woman to serve as national chief
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OTTAWA — RoseAnne Archibald of Ontario will be the first woman to serve as national chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

She secured victory after her rival, Reginald Bellerose of Saskatchewan, conceded.

The election had gone to a fifth round of voting after neither Archibald nor Bellerose received 60 per cent of the vote — the threshold needed to win.

That remained the case when the AFN announced the fifth-ballot results, but then Bellerose said he was withdrawing from the race.

Seven candidates were initially vying for the job — a national leadership role that represents 634 First Nations, where more than 900,000 people are members.

The contest was decided after virtual voting stretched into a second day.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2021.

The Canadian Press