List of chiefs of Fort Albany First Nation

This is a list of chiefs of Fort Albany, including the chiefs that have governed Fort Albany First Nation since the establishment of a reserve on the territory in 1909, as well as their councils.

Indian Act (1909–1977)

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A band council was established for the Fort Albany First Nation, following the Indian Act.

Date of selection Chief Councillors Notes Ref
1909 Andrew Wesley [1]
July 1920 Moses Wesley
  • S. Ruben
  • J. N. Scott
  • J. Spence
  • D. Wesley
[1]
July 1923
  • Patrick Steven[sic]
  • Xavier Spence
  • David Solomon
[1]
July 26, 1926
  • Patrick Stephen[sic]
  • Xavier Spence
  • Xavier Chookomoolin
  • David Solomon
[1]
July 16, 1929 Isiah Nashootaway (Sutherland)
  • Xavier Scott
  • James Sutherland
  • Alex Lazarus
[1]
1933 Moses Wesley [1]
1938 Walter Stephen [1]
July 1947 Simeon Scott
  • James Sutherland
  • James Wesley
  • Willie Stephens
[1]
July 30, 1951
  • Joel Linklater
  • James Sutherland
  • Fred Lazarus
[1]
July 29, 1957 James Wesley
  • Gaius Wesley
  • Simon Koosees
  • Alex Lazarus
[1]
June 17, 1960
  • Simon Koosees
  • Gaius Wesley
  • Alex Lazarus
  • James Sutherland
  • Simeon Metatawbin
  • Louis Nakochee
  • Xavier Sutherland
[1]
August 12, 1964 Abraham Metatawabin
  • Willie Stephen
  • Gaius Wesley
  • Willie Wesley Sr.
  • Raphael Wheesk
  • Moses Nakogee
  • John Wheesk
  • Xavier Sutherland
[1][2]
July 28, 1967 James Wesley
  • Simon[sic] Friday
  • Evadney Friday
  • Fred Lazarus
  • Labius Reuben
  • Mary Solomon
  • Willie Stephen
  • David Wynne Jr.
  • Hosea Wynne
  • Joshua Wynne
[1]
August 27, 1969 William Stephen
  • Silas Wesley
  • John A. Wesley
  • Xavier Sutherland
  • Sinclair Wynne
  • Clifford Wesley
  • Alex Goodwin
  • Claudius Hughie
  • James Solomon
  • Lawrence Mark
  • Philip Tookata
  • Abraham Metatawabin[sic]
  • John Nakochee
[1]
June 15, 1971 William Wesley Sr.
  • Silas Wesley
  • John A. Wesley
  • Alex Wesley
  • Philip Hughie
  • Mathias Wynne
  • Fred Lazarus Sr.
  • George Wesley
  • Simon Friday
  • Lawrence Mark
  • Philip Tookata
  • Moses Nakogee
  • Gilbert Solomon
Lawrence Mark resigned January 17, 1972. Moses Nakogee resigned May 16, 1972. [1]
June 15, 1973 John Nakogee
  • Simeon Friday
  • James Wesley
  • Evadney Friday
  • Josephine Wesley
  • Sinclair Wynne
  • Bertie Wynne
  • Fred Lazarus Sr.
  • Sinclair Williams
  • Abraham Wynne
  • Abraham Metat[sic]
  • Peter Sutherland
  • Edmund Metat
[1]
June 24, 1975 Silas Wesley
  • Simeon Friday
  • Alex Goodwin
  • John Wesley
  • George Wesley
  • Bartholomew Sutherland
  • Sinclair Wynne
  • Peter Sackanay
  • Daisy Sackanay
  • Abraham Metatawabin[sic]
  • John Kataquabit
  • Joseph Kataquabit
  • Lawrence Mark
This was the last band council before the official split between the Fort Albany and Kaschechewan First Nations, from 1977 onwards, each community had its own band council. [1]

Following split with Kashechewan (1977–2022)

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Kashechewan First Nation began having its own band council in 1977.

Date of Selection Chief Councillors Notes Ref
June 21, 1977 John Nakogee
  • Edmond Edwards
  • Michel Nakochee
  • Harry Loone
  • Louis Nakogee
  • Antoine Koostachin
  • Gilbert Solomon
[3]
June 21, 1979 Alex Metatawabin
  • Lawrence Mark
  • John Scott
  • Harry Loone
  • John Edwards
  • Joseph Kataquapit
  • Peter Sackanay
Chief Alex Metatawabin was removed February 24, 1980, and replaced in a by-election. [3]
March 3, 1980 Louie[sic] Nakogee
June 2, 1981 Alex Metatawabin
  • Daniel Edwards
  • Xavier Sutherland
  • Louis Nakogee Jr.
  • Edmund Edwards
  • Joseph Sutherland
  • Micheline Edwards
[3]
July 16, 1983 Louie[sic] Nakogee Sr.
  • Daniel Edwards
  • Louis Nakogee Jr.
  • Abraham Matatawabin[sic]
  • Harry Loone
  • Joseph Wheesk
  • Marius Spence
[3]
February 27, 1985 Simeon Solomon
  • William Sutherland
  • Peter Sutherland
  • John Paul Nakochee
  • Gabriel Loone
  • Ignace Kataquapit
  • Marius Spence
Gabriel Loone and Marius Spence resigned in September 1985, and were replaced by Peter Nakogee and David Sutherland in a by-election on September 11, 1985. Peter Nakogee then resigned on May 13, 1986. [3]
August 13, 1986 Louie Nakogee Jr.
  • Antoine Koostachin
  • Joseph Wheesk
  • Annabella Solomon
  • Marius Spence
  • Ignace Kataquapit
  • Joseph Sutherland
  • Peter Nakogee
[3]
July 6, 1988 Edmund Metatawabin
  • William Sutherland
  • Peter Sutherland
  • Gilbert Solomon
  • Gisele Kataquapit
  • Lucie Solomon
  • Rita Scott
  • Patricia Edwards
William Sutherland and Rita Scott resigned during their time on Council, and were replaced by David Sutherland and George Sackanay in a by-election on May 21, 1989. [3]
July 6, 1990
  • Peter Sutherland
  • Leo Loon
  • Gabriel Sutherland
  • Joseph Sutherland
  • George Scott
  • Ernest Edwards
  • Michel Solomon
[3]
July 13, 1992 Edward Metatawabin
  • Joseph Wheesk
  • Gabriel Sutherland
  • Leo Loon
  • Bernard Sutherland
  • Emile Sutherland
  • Marius Spence
  • Annabella Solomon
[3]
1994 Edmund Metatawabin Edmund Metatawabin was still chief in 1994 and 1995. [4][5][6]
July 2, 1996 Arthur Scott Within a few months of Scott's election, a petition calling for his removal as chief was signed by 186 people. On September 5, 1996, some members of the band held a "custom election", according to The Nation, "a show of hands to select a new chief." 95 people voted in the "custom election" and elected Bernard Sutherland as chief. Scott refused to step down, and did not recognize the "custom election". [7]
1998 Mike Metatawabin [8][9]
Date of Selection Chief Deputy Chief Councillors Notes Ref
2010
  • Robert Nakogee
[10]
July 28, 2012 Rex Knapaysweet
  • Robert Nakogee
[10][11]
2014 Robert Nakogee [10]
2016 Robert Nakogee [10]
August 13, 2018 Leo Metatawabin Robert Nakogee
  • Edmond Sackaney (Head Councillor)
  • Joseph Scott
  • Joseph Sutherland
  • Margaret Edwards
  • Yvonne Metatawabin
  • Jackie Kataquapit
  • Ruby Edwards-Wheesk
[12]
August 23, 2020 Robert Nakogee Charlotte Nakoochee
  • Joseph Scott
  • Joseph Sutherland
  • Edmond Edwards
  • Xavier Inishinapay
  • Joseph Pascal Spence
  • Angela Diane Lagasse
  • Arthur Nakogee
[13]

Custom Election Code (2022–present)

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A referendum of the First Nation's members on June 13, 2022 approved a Custom Election Code, with 22 of 39 votes cast in favour of the code.[14] This Custom Election Code replaces the electoral process laid out in the Indian Act. The 2022 election was the first election in Fort Albany held under the custom code.[15]

Date of Selection Chief Deputy Chief Councillors Notes Ref
October 1, 2022 Elizabeth Kataquapit Terry Metatawabin
  • Brenda Scott
  • Pascal Spence
  • Joseph Scott
  • Ruby Edward-Wheesk
  • Madeline Scott
  • Christopher Metatawabin
  • Madeline Nakogee
Elizabeth Kataquapit was the First Nation's first elected female chief. [16]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Chiefs and Councillors - Ontario Region" (PDF). Government of Canada Publications. 1: 3–5. November 11, 1993.
  2. ^ Kay, Jonathan (January 19, 2013). "For modern reserves, success is in balancing tradition and capitalism". National Post. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Chiefs and Councillors - Ontario Region" (PDF). Government of Canada Publications. 1: 6–8. November 11, 1993.
  4. ^ Roslin, Alex (September 9, 1994). "MoCreebec expelled from Mushkegowuk Council". The Nation. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  5. ^ The Nation (November 18, 1994). "RANGERS EXPAND IN NORTH". The Nation. Archived from the original on August 4, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  6. ^ Rickard, Paul M. (April 28, 1995). "CHIEF DECRIES DOUBLE-STANDARD". The Nation. Archived from the original on August 4, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  7. ^ Roslin, Alex (October 25, 1996). "ONE CHIEF TOO MANY IN FORT ALBANY". The Nation. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  8. ^ Nicholls, Will (July 16, 1999). "St. Anne's Anna Wesley found guilty". The Nation. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  9. ^ The Nation (June 16, 2000). "Uproar Over Racist Comments". The Nation. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d Baiguzhiyeva, Dariya (August 24, 2020). "Fort Albany elects new chief and council". Timmins Today. Retrieved July 10, 2022. He [Robert Nakogee] [has] been on council for 10 consecutive years. Nakogee started off as a councillor and then served as a deputy chief for six years.
  11. ^ "New chief quizzed by Fort Albany youth". Wawatay News. August 16, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  12. ^ "Chief and Council | Fafn". Fort Albany First Nation. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  13. ^ "Governance". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. June 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  14. ^ "Revised REFERENDUM RESULTS NOTICE" (Press release). Fort Albany, ON: Fort Albany First Nation. June 13, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  15. ^ "NOTICE OF GENERAL ELECTION" (Press release). Fort Albany, ON: Fort Albany First Nation. June 17, 2022. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  16. ^ Rabski-McColl, Amanda (October 4, 2022). "Fort Albany elects first woman chief". Timmins Today. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.