afn.ca

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) advocates across four broad policy areas: Rights & Justice, Community Services, Environment & Lands, and Economy & Infrastructure. According to afn.ca, the AFN is a national advocacy organization that works to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations individuals and communities across Canada on matters of national or international nature and concern. Its advocacy is not self-directed: the organization takes direction and fulfills mandates as directed by First-Nations-in-Assembly through resolutions.

The four advocacy areas

Each area is presented on afn.ca as a distinct section of "Our Work," with its own page for readers who want more detail than the summary above.

How these areas connect to the AFN's mandate

The four areas are the outward-facing work; the mandate behind them comes from First Nations themselves. The AFN hosts two Assemblies a year where mandates and directives for the organization are established through resolutions directed and supported by the First Nations in Assembly (elected Chiefs or proxies from member First Nations).

Alongside that direction from member First Nations, the AFN is guided by an Executive Committee consisting of an elected National Chief and Regional Chiefs from each province and territory. Representatives from five national councils — Knowledge Keepers, Youth, Veterans, 2SLGBTQQIA+ and Women — support and guide the decisions of the Executive Committee.

So if you want to understand why the AFN is advocating on a particular file, the resolution process and the Executive Committee are the places to look; the four policy areas are where that direction shows up as public work.

Where advocacy shows up in practice

Beyond the four section pages, afn.ca surfaces current activity through news and events. Recent examples include:

• A press release dated September 17, 2026, in which National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak speaks on First Nations priorities as the fall session of Parliament is set to begin.
• A statement in which National Chief Cindy Woodhouse congratulates BC Regional Chief Terry Teegee on his 2026 acclamation.
• Upcoming events such as the First Nations-First Ministers' Meeting 2026 (October 26, 2026, Ottawa), the Special Chiefs Assembly 2026 (December 8–10, 2026, Rogers Centre Ottawa), the 3rd Annual National Natural Resources Forum (February 1–4, 2027, Montreal), and the 4th National Climate Gathering (October 5–8, 2026, Hamilton Convention Centre).

These items are useful if you want to see which files are active right now rather than only the standing policy categories.

Choosing where to start

• If your interest is legal or constitutional, start with Rights & Justice.
• If your interest is social programs and services in communities, start with Community Services.
• If your interest is land, water, or environmental jurisdiction, start with Environment & Lands.
• If your interest is economic development, revenue, or infrastructure, start with Economy & Infrastructure.

For the mandate behind any of these — who directed the work and how — look to the resolutions process and the Executive Committee structure described above.

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) lists four upcoming events on afn.ca: the 4th National Climate Gathering (Oct 5–8, 2026, Hamilton), the First Nations-First Ministers' Meeting 2026 (Oct 26, 2026, Ottawa), the Special Chiefs Assembly 2026 (Dec 8–10, 2026, Ottawa), and the 3rd Annual National Natural Resources Forum (Feb 1–4, 2027, Montreal). All four are listed as in-person events, and each has an "Event Details" link on the site for registration and logistics. The dates below reflect what the site currently shows, so confirm details on the event page before making travel plans.

Upcoming AFN events at a glance

What each event is

4th National Climate Gathering

Subtitled "Strengthening First Nations Climate Leadership: Braiding Relationships, Knowledge Systems, and Inherent Responsibilities," this is the AFN's featured event. It runs four days at the Hamilton Convention Centre and centers on First Nations climate leadership.

First Nations-First Ministers' Meeting 2026

A one-day, in-person meeting in Ottawa on October 26, 2026, bringing First Nations and federal ministers together.

Special Chiefs Assembly 2026

A three-day assembly at the Rogers Centre Ottawa from December 8–10, 2026. Special Chiefs Assemblies are part of how the AFN conducts business with Chiefs and proxies from member First Nations.

3rd Annual National Natural Resources Forum

A four-day forum at Le Centre Sheraton Montreal from February 1–4, 2027, focused on natural resources.

How to find details and register

1. Go to afn.ca and find the "Upcoming Events" section on the homepage.
2. Select the event you want — each listing has an "Event Details" link.
3. Open that page for the agenda, registration, and any fee or eligibility information.

The site does not state registration costs, deadlines, or whether attendance is open to the general public versus Chiefs and delegates. Check the individual event page or contact the AFN directly for those specifics rather than assuming open registration.

Why these events matter

The AFN is a national advocacy organization that advances the collective aspirations of First Nations individuals and communities across Canada. It takes direction and fulfills mandates set by First Nations-in-Assembly through resolutions, and it hosts two Assemblies a year where those mandates and directives are established. The Special Chiefs Assembly listed above is one of those gatherings, which makes it a working session for AFN direction rather than a general public conference. The Climate Gathering and Natural Resources Forum sit within the AFN's broader advocacy work on environment and lands, and on economy and infrastructure.

Common questions

Are these events open to anyone? The site does not say. Assemblies are directed by elected Chiefs or proxies from member First Nations, so attendance rules differ by event — confirm on the event page.

Is there a virtual option? All four are listed as in-person only.

Where do I register? Through the "Event Details" link on each listing at afn.ca.

Do dates change? They can. The listings reflect current site information, so re-check before booking travel.

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is directed by First Nations themselves. Mandates come from resolutions passed by First Nations-in-Assembly — elected Chiefs or their proxies from member First Nations — at the two Assemblies held each year. Day-to-day political leadership sits with an Executive Committee made up of an elected National Chief and Regional Chiefs from each province and territory, supported by five national councils. If you want to understand who sets AFN's direction, the answer runs from the Chiefs in Assembly at the top, through the Executive Committee, to the councils that advise it.

The mandate comes from the First Nations-in-Assembly

The AFN describes itself as a national advocacy organization that takes direction and fulfills mandates as directed by First Nations-in-Assembly through resolutions. That phrase — "First Nations-in-Assembly" — is the key to how the organization works.

• Two Assemblies a year. The AFN hosts two Assemblies annually. These are the points at which mandates and directives for the organization are established.
• Resolutions are the mechanism. Mandates are set through resolutions that are directed and supported by the First Nations in Assembly.
• Who votes. The Assembly is made up of elected Chiefs or proxies from member First Nations.

So the authority to act does not originate inside the AFN secretariat. It originates with the Chiefs who gather, debate, and pass resolutions.

The Executive Committee carries political leadership

In addition to the direction provided by the Chiefs of each member First Nation, the AFN is guided by an Executive Committee.

The National Chief is elected, and the Regional Chiefs represent each province and territory. This structure means both a national voice and regional representation sit on the same committee.

Five national councils advise the Executive Committee

Representatives from five national councils support and guide the decisions of the Executive Committee:

• Knowledge Keepers
• Youth
• Veterans
• 2SLGBTQQIA+
• Women

These are advisory bodies within the governance structure, not the source of mandates. Their function is to bring specific perspectives into Executive Committee decision-making.

What this means for the four main areas of work

The AFN's advocacy is organized around four areas, each of which traces back to mandates set by the Chiefs in Assembly:

• Rights & Justice — pursuing changes to legislative, policy, and common law principles in support of First Nations rights.
• Community Services — advocating for comprehensive social development services for over 600 First Nations communities.
• Environment & Lands — helping First Nations exercise rights to self-determination and jurisdiction over the environment.
• Economy & Infrastructure — advocating for improved economic policy, programs, services, incentives, economic relations, and increased revenue development.

Where members and observers can plug in

If you want to follow or participate in the governance process, the AFN's public events calendar is the practical entry point. Upcoming gatherings listed on the site include:

• First Nations-First Ministers' Meeting 2026 — Oct 26, 2026, in-person, Ottawa, ON.
• Special Chiefs Assembly 2026 — Dec 08–10, 2026, in-person, Rogers Centre Ottawa.
• 3rd Annual National Natural Resources Forum — Feb 01–04, 2027, in-person, Le Centre Sheraton Montreal, Montreal, Quebec.
• 4th National Climate Gathering — Oct 05–08, 2026, in-person, Hamilton Convention Centre, featured as a "Strengthening First Nations Climate Leadership" event.

Each listing links to event details. Assemblies are where resolutions are passed, so they are the moments when mandates are actually set — the forums and gatherings are where related policy work is discussed.

The short version

Mandates flow from resolutions passed by elected Chiefs and proxies at two annual Assemblies. The Executive Committee — an elected National Chief plus Regional Chiefs from every province and territory — guides the organization between and alongside those Assemblies. Five national councils (Knowledge Keepers, Youth, Veterans, 2SLGBTQQIA+, and Women) advise that committee. The AFN acts on those mandates across Rights & Justice, Community Services, Environment & Lands, and Economy & Infrastructure.

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a national advocacy organization that works to advance the collective aspirations of First Nations individuals and communities across Canada on matters of national or international nature and concern. It is not a government department or a service provider you apply to; it is an advocacy body that takes direction and fulfills mandates as directed by First Nations-in-Assembly through resolutions.

Who the AFN represents and how it is directed

The AFN's authority flows from its member First Nations, not from itself. Two structures carry that direction:

• First Nations-in-Assembly — elected Chiefs or proxies from member First Nations. The AFN hosts two Assemblies a year where mandates and directives for the organization are established through resolutions.
• Executive Committee — an elected National Chief and Regional Chiefs from each province and territory. This committee is guided in turn by representatives from five national councils: Knowledge Keepers, Youth, Veterans, 2SLGBTQQIA+, and Women.

So when the AFN takes a position, it is acting on a mandate set by the Chiefs in Assembly rather than on an independent agenda.

What the AFN actually works on

The organization's work is organized into four broad areas, each with its own focus:

How to use the site

If you are trying to understand the AFN's current positions or take part in its processes, three sections are the most useful:

• Our Work / About Us — explains the advocacy mandate and the resolution process that sets it.
• Upcoming Events — lists Assemblies and forums where mandates are established and issues are discussed. Recent listings include the First Nations-First Ministers' Meeting 2026 (Oct 26, 2026, Ottawa), the Special Chiefs Assembly 2026 (Dec 08–10, 2026, Rogers Centre Ottawa), and the 3rd Annual National Natural Resources Forum (Feb 01–04, 2027, Montreal).
• Latest News — press releases and statements, such as the National Chief's remarks on First Nations priorities as the fall session of Parliament begins (published Sep 17, 2026).

The Featured Event section highlights larger gatherings, such as the 4th National Climate Gathering — Strengthening First Nations Climate Leadership: Braiding Relationships, Knowledge Systems, and Inherent Responsibilities (Oct 05–08, 2026, Hamilton Convention Centre).

What the AFN is not

• It is not a body that grants individual benefits, status, or funding — it advocates on policy and rights.
• It does not speak for every First Nation on every issue; its positions come from resolutions passed by the First Nations-in-Assembly.
• It is distinct from federal or provincial governments, even though much of its advocacy work is aimed at them.

If your question is "who speaks nationally for First Nations in Canada on federal and international issues, and how are those positions decided," afn.ca is the primary source. If your question is about a specific community's services or membership, the AFN points back to the direction set by member First Nations rather than administering those matters itself.

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) publishes its public positions as press releases under a "Latest News" section on afn.ca, and the two most recent items shown there concern the National Chief's statements on federal priorities and on a regional leadership acclamation. Both are dated September 2026, and both can be read in full through the site's "Read the Story" links.

The two most recent statements on afn.ca

National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak on the fall parliamentary session

The lead item is titled "National Chief Woodhouse Nepinak Speaks on First Nations Priorities as the Fall Session of Parliament is Set to Begin," published September 17, 2026 and labeled a press release. The visible excerpt places the statement in Treaty 2 Territory, Brandon, Manitoba.

What this tells you: the AFN uses the opening of a parliamentary sitting as a hook for setting out its legislative and policy priorities for the coming session. If you are tracking what the organization is pressing the federal government on, statements timed to the parliamentary calendar are the ones to watch.

Congratulations to BC Regional Chief Terry Teegee

The second item is "National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Congratulates BC Regional Chief Terry Teegee on His 2026 Acclamation – Looks Forward to Continued Work Together for First Nations." The headline itself carries the substance: an acclamation (rather than a contested election) and an explicit statement of intent to keep working together.

What this tells you: regional chief positions are part of the AFN's own governance structure, so leadership changes at the regional level are treated as organizational news, not just BC-specific news.

How to read the news section

• Format. Items are published as press releases, with a publication date and a "Read the Story" link. The site also offers a "View All" entry point for the full list.
• Dating. The two items above are both from September 2026, so the news feed is current relative to the events described.
• Scope. The visible headlines mix parliamentary advocacy with internal leadership news, which reflects the AFN's dual role as an advocacy organization and a coordinating body for First Nations leadership.

Where these statements sit in the AFN's structure

The AFN describes itself as a national advocacy organization that takes direction and fulfills mandates as directed by First Nations-in-Assembly through resolutions. Two assemblies are held each year, where mandates and directives are established. The organization is guided by an Executive Committee made up of an elected National Chief and Regional Chiefs from each province and territory, with representatives from five national councils (Knowledge Keepers, Youth, Veterans, 2SLGBTQQIA+ and Women) supporting and guiding Executive Committee decisions.

That structure explains why the news items look the way they do: the National Chief speaks publicly on priorities, and regional chief appointments are reported as part of the same stream.

If you want to go further

• To read a statement in full, follow the "Read the Story" link under the headline.
• To see everything published, use the "View All" link in the Latest News section.
• To understand the mandate behind a statement, the AFN's policy work is organized under four areas: Rights & Justice, Community Services, Environment & Lands, and Economy & Infrastructure. Community Services advocacy covers more than 600 First Nations communities.
• To attend rather than read, the site lists upcoming events, including the First Nations-First Ministers' Meeting 2026 (October 26, 2026, Ottawa), the Special Chiefs Assembly 2026 (December 8–10, 2026, Rogers Centre Ottawa), the 3rd Annual National Natural Resources Forum (February 1–4, 2027, Montreal), and the featured 4th National Climate Gathering (October 5–8, 2026, Hamilton Convention Centre).