FSIN youth elected to lead AFN National Youth Council
- EFN Staff | July 13, 2016
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Executive extends congratulations to FSIN Youth Representative Andre Bear following his election as the male co-chair of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Youth Council (NYC). The Executive also congratulates Cheyenne Fineday for her election to the AFN NYC executive. Bear and Fineday were elected to the positions on Saturday July 9, 2016 during the AFN NYC annual meeting in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
“We are extremely proud of Andre Bear and Cheyenne Fineday for their leadership commitments for Indigenous youth across our traditional territories,” said FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron. “We want to congratulate Andre and Cheyenne and encourage them to continue working hard and setting a positive example for our youth. Our young leaders will carry on the responsibility of protecting and implementing our Inherent and Treaty rights as they move forward.”
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Andre Bear is a member of the Canoe Lake First Nation. He is entering his second year of post-secondary education at the University of Saskatchewan. Bear will serve a one-year term as the co-chair of the AFN NYC. Last fall the FSIN Youth Legislative Assembly elected Bear and Fineday, a member of the Witchekan Lake First Nation, to the AFN NYC.
“This is an honour and a very humbling experience,” said Bear. “I look forward to working with the AFN Executive and advancing the issues that are important to young Indigenous people across our territories.”
“The next year will be an incredible opportunity to learn and grow as a person,” said Fineday. “This is a very exciting time for Indigenous youth.”
The AFN NYC operates as a 20-member council representing First Nations youth from each of the 10 AFN regions (each region has one male and one female representative). This national body, based within the structure of the AFN, represents First Nations youth across the country on issues that impact them on a daily basis. The NYC provides insight to the AFN committees and working groups, as well as the AFN secretariat on various youth-related issues.