Skip to content

Norman Yakeleya, Northwest Territories AFN regional chief, to lead delegation to Vatican

Dene Nation national chief Norman Yakeleya will lead a delegation of Indigenous leaders on a visit to the Vatican in December.
27310607_web1_210607-NNO-DeneNation_1
The visit with the Pope in December is not just about asking for an apology for residential school abuses but also a way to find a new path of justice, respect and recognition for Indigenous peoples, said Dene National Chief Norman Yakeleya. NNSL file photo

Dene Nation national chief Norman Yakeleya will lead a delegation of Indigenous leaders on a visit to the Vatican in December.

Yakeleya is also regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), which announced the members of the delegation to meet Pope Francis next month. The AFN represents First Nations citizens in Canada.

They will be joined by members of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council. The AFN calls the visit a “major milestone” grounded in call to action 58 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Scheduled to join Yakeleya are:

• Manitoba Regional Chief Cindy Woodhouse

• Chief Wilton Littlechild, Delegation Spokesperson

• Fred Kelly, Spiritual Advisor

• Phil Fontaine, Knowledge Keeper

• Kukpi7 Chief Rosanne Casimir, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation

• Rosalie LaBillois, New Brunswick AFN youth rep

• Taylor Tsakoza-Behn, BC AFN youth rep.

This story will be updated.