Cindy Woodhouse wins election for Assembly of First Nations national chief

Cindy Woodhouse was elected national chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) in Ottawa on Thursday, securing victory as runner-up David Pratt conceded.

Following Pratt's announcement, Woodhouse, 40, took the stage at the Shaw Centre, where she read the assembly's oath of office and received anAFN medallion around her neck.

The new leader promised to start working immediately and tirelessly on child welfare, housing, economic development, policing and other core issues facing communities, pointing to the upcoming federal budget as a first order of business.

"Canada, you cannot forget First Nations," she said to applause.

"You take our money from our land, you have to make sure that you work with us to get that out the door to our communities."

Woodhouse, the AFN's regional chief for Manitoba, had 50.8 per cent support from 461 delegates registered to vote, while Pratt, first vice-chief for the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations in Saskatchewan, trailed with 39.3 per cent support on a sixth ballot late Wednesday night.

Under the assembly charter, a candidate must secure 60 per cent of the vote to win, with more than 630 chiefs or proxies eligible to participate. Voting was forced to an end as the convention centre was scheduled to close at midnight, amid rising frustration with the stalemate.

Voting was to resume Thursday with a seventh ballot when Pratt's concession was announced. In hisspeech, Pratt said the issues were too important to hold back the next national chief.

"We leave here united. We leave here behind our national chief," he said to applause.

"We're back, and the future belongs to First Nations people."

Woodhouse, from Pinaymootang First Nation in Manitoba, worked as an AFN negotiator for a $23-billion child and family services class-action settlement reached with Canada last year.

She pitched a return to stability, promoting her past experience working for national chiefs Perry Bellegarde and Shawn Atleo.

Pledge to focus on core issues

Woodhouse succeeds RoseAnne Archibald atop the largest national Indigenous advocacy organization in Canada, after the change-oriented Ontario Cree leader was ousted earlier this year, following harassment allegations and two regional chief-led revolts.

Woodhouse is no stranger to the assembly's recent turmoil, having been among the regional chiefs recommending Archibald's removal, before declaring her own candidacy for the top job. In her speech, Woodhouse offered an olive branch, thanking Archibald for smashing the glass ceiling and becoming the first woman national chief.

WATCH | Woodhouse says housing is a top priority:

Challenges ahead for incoming AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse

10 months ago

Duration 2:06

Cindy Woodhouse faces some big challenges as only the third woman to lead the Assembly of First Nations. She was part of the executive committee that recommended previous national chief, RoseAnne Archibald, be removed, which fractured the organization.

Woodhouse's supporters stressed the strength of her platform, organizing and campaigning,while some opponents felt the AFN should focus on defending First Nations rights rather than co-operating with government.

At a newsconference Thursday afternoon, CBC Indigenous asked Woodhouse to respond to those chiefs keen on a more adversarial approach.

"Yes, sometimes we have to kick down doors," she said.

"But at the time, I think that, in this moment, I'm coming in here as a fresh start to try and say, 'Let's work through some of these issues together.'"

Jeff Copenace, chief of the Ojibways of Onigaming in Ontario, was supporting Prattbased on the recommendation of a community youth delegation Copenace brought to the assembly. Copenace was also a vocal Archibald backer, calling her ouster "a national embarrassment."

But after the election, Copenance expressed optimism about the future and excitement to see another woman lead the assembly.

"There is always going to be debates about whether we should be more conciliatory or whether we should take a harder approach in terms of protests or blockades," he said in an interview.

"And the reality is that all of them are necessary."

Rising frustrationduring rounds of voting

On Wednesday, the mood became tense as the night wore onwith no one close to the 60 per cent mark, particularly after Pratt got a late boost from Sheila North, who was eliminated after the third ballot.

Northendorsed Pratt in her concession speech, criticizingthe "disrespect" shown Archibald andofferingthinly veiled criticism of Woodhouse.

By ballot five, chants of "concede! concede!" rang out from the Woodhouse camp, only to be met with "David! David!" from Pratt's. They were separated only by a small aisle in the convention centre but the differencebetween their visions seemed pronounced.

Pratt wasn't shy of criticizing the federal government, pitching a return to the AFN's foundational vision. Woodhouse, in a scrum with reporters, said she looked forward to working with both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre.

Woodhouse told reporters she and Pratt didn't reach a deal before he withdrew, but rathera mutual understanding to work together. In his concession speech, Pratt urged the assembly to unite.

"She has my 100 per cent support. Her success is all of our success, so let's lay aside the animosity," he said.

"Let's lay aside all the garbage. Let's lay aside all the voices. Let's lay aside all the negativity from the media, and let's come together and let's be the powerful, united AFN."