Atleo the favourite of many NmTC leaders

The choice of new national chief of the Assembly of First Nations – Shawn (A-in-chut) Atleo of Ahousaht – seemed to be the favourite of Naut’sa mawt Tribal Council leaders.

Chiefs either attended in person or sent their proxy voters who cast a ballot at the AFN election proceedings in Calgary in July.

Days before the election, T’Sou-ke Chief Gordon Planes said: “Shawn has been a model of success for all aboriginal young people. “

Sliammon Chief Clint Williams also was an Atleo booster. “I was very excited to follow Shawn’s campaign. We hope that Shawn can do things seeing that we’re pretty much at the end of road on treaty.

“Sliammon is at a hurdle that other nations are going to be at some day and I hope Shawn can break down some barriers and help.”

Williams said he hoped to be able to do work with the new national chief on fisheries in particular.

“We are at a place now where the federal government is hard to budge.”