What is Ghislain Picard's legacy at the head of the AFNQL?

Thirty-three years at the head of a political organization is a challenge that few people can consider today.

Yet this is what Ghislain Picard achieved as the regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL). The organization represents the Grand Chiefs and Chiefs of the 43 Indigenous communities in Quebec in defending their rights and interests.

Major achievements and persistent challenges

Succeeding in reconciling the interests of the 43 communities, while territorial conflicts, value conflicts, or recognition of rights persist among the nations present at the table, is a challenge far from being obvious to overcome, which can even be described as an exploit.

Whether it was at the time of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007, the defense of the governmental autonomy of First Nations in the 1990s, or even today, the defense of rights over the territory while Quebec broadcasts its energy ambitions to the four winds, Ghislain Picard has held firm against the wind: governmental relations are far from easy between Quebec, Canada, and Indigenous communities. The socio-economic conditions in the communities are still far behind those of Canadian communities.

In a power struggle that the parties wish to be equitable, there is still work to be done. Ghislain Picard has defended and carried the issue of child protection all the way to the Supreme Court, where First Nations ultimately won and can now determine their own child protection system. A major gain representing years of struggle.

The same goes for the issue of Indigenous languages, their protection, revitalization, and funding, an issue dear to Mr. Picard, himself a speaker of the Innu language in which he expresses himself at every speech and meeting.

Summarizing 33 years of reign on one page is impossible. Let us remember the man behind the career: father, grandfather, great-grandfather. We wish that life will allow him to return to his loved ones and invest himself in a whole other, most important role.

A new chapter with Francis Verreault-Paul

The gaze is now turned towards the future with the arrival of Francis Verreault-Paul at the head of the AFNQL. These will be big moccasins to fill in a context where governmental relations are expected to be difficult with a provincial government with significant economic and energy ambitions, a change at the head of the federal government and the arrival of new elected officials, a precarious international climate, unresolved territorial issues, and we can also question the viability of the chiefs' table as we have always known it and the opportunity to redefine the role and mandate of this assembly. The unity of this political table has been mainly maintained by the leadership of Ghislain Picard, and the challenge for Mr. Verreault-Paul, who will have to ensure this cohesion in order to assert its relevance, is a great one.

The election of Mr. Verreault-Paul comes at a pivotal moment in our history. Not only will he embody the new face of the AFNQL, but he will also instill a new leadership oscillating between continuity and renewal. Above all, he will do so at a time when issues are multiplying, but fortunately at a time when awareness in civil society has never been greater. Francis Verreault-Paul also represents Indigenous youth, who make up more than 55% of our populations, but whom we see too rarely in politics.

The dynamism and novelty embodied by the new regional chief will be welcome and will undoubtedly bring a new breath of fresh air.

At NATIONAL, we have decided to embody the principles of reconciliation and act as agents of change by fostering rapprochement and dialogue between communities and civil society, but also between organizations and First Nations and Inuit. For organizations that wish to go about it the right way and join the movement of necessary reconciliation with an approach based on respect and collaboration, contact us.

Tshinishkumitin (thank you) Ghislain Picard and welcome Francis Verreault-Paul!