On Wednesday, members of the Congress of Native Peoples (AFN) voted to remove Secretary of State Roseann Archibald after a third-party inquiry into his leadership.
71 percent of AFN members voted in favor of Archibald’s immediate dismissal. Over 70% of the votes called for her removal, with 163 lawmakers in favor, 62 against and 6 abstentions.
The decision comes after a third-party investigator completed an investigation into five complaints made against Archibald last year.according to Draft meeting resolutionInvestigators found that she had harassed two accusers and had “retaliated” against all five accusers who came forward with the dispute.
An investigation found that Archibald violated AFN’s Harassment Policy, Whistleblowing Policy and Code of Conduct. Investigators also allege that Archibald violated AFN’s non-disclosure agreement by saying in a statement posted on social media in April that he was “validated” about the report. . Archibald has since deleted all his social media accounts.
Archibald, the first woman to lead the AFN in 2021, has maintained her innocence throughout last year’s investigation and brief suspension. She also called for an audit and an independent inquiry into AFN over “corruption and toxicities” within the organization.
and news release, AFN said the post of head of state remains vacant until the executive committee appoints an interim leader. The interim head of state is likely to hold office until the next elections scheduled for December 2023.
AFN Nova Scotia Regional Director Paul Prosper said: “I look forward to returning to my important work of advancing the priorities of Indigenous peoples and acting on behalf of the best interests of our communities. Roseanne Archibald I wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” he said. in a news release.
The national organization plans to hold its next general assembly on July 11 in Halifax.
Files from Canadian Press and Michael Lee for CTVNews.ca.
