Chris Plain, chief of Aamjiwnaang First Nation, has been elected deputy grand council chief of the Anishinabek Nation.
Plain’s election was announced Wednesday morning in a tweet on X, by the organization representing 39 Anishinabek First Nations across Ontario, which is holding its grand council assembly this week in Sudbury.
“I come from the southwest region, but I come from Anishinabek Nation,” Plain tweeted.
“I don’t believe in regions. I don’t believe in biases. We’re here to respect, protect, and work for all First Nations equally,” he said.
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Linda Debassige of M’Chigeeng First Nation, on Manitoulin island, was elected grand council chief.
Plain was recently southwest region deputy grand council chief for the organization and has been chief of Aamjiwnaang, the First Nation neighboring Sarnia, since 2005, save for a 2016-18 term as a band councilor.
“I’m grateful to the community of Aamjiwnaang First Nation for allowing me to stand for this position and I look forward to serving the Anishinabek Nation with the new grand council chief to the best of our abilities for all of the nations,” Plain said in a release.
The Anishinabek Nation said there were four regional deputy grand council chiefs last term, but the organization has moved to one deputy grand council chief post.
The First Nations represented by the Anishinabek Nation are located throughout Ontario, from Golden Lake in the east, Sarnia in the south and Thunder Bay and Lake Nipigon in the north, the organization’s website says.
Its 39 First Nations have a combined population of about 65,000 citizens, who make up one-third of Ontario’s First Nation population.
The organization’s head office is in Nipissing First Nation, just outside North Bay. It also has offices in Fort William, Curve Lake and Munsee Delaware Nations.
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