AFN national chief confident internal struggles are over, despite concerns about her Liberal ties

Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says she is confident the Assembly of First Nations's troubles are behind it.

After years of upheaval involving allegations of bullying, harassment, corruption and collusion, in December Woodhouse Nepinak was elected to lead the national advocacy organization, which represents more than 600 First Nations countrywide.

Now, inside her spacious corner office at the Sun Life Financial Centre highrise in downtown Ottawa, where the assembly's operations occupy the entire second floor, what Woodhouse Nepinak pitches is simple: results.

"We have a lot of work to do in Ottawa, and I think we haven't been at every table that we should be," she said.

"We need to be there making sure that the voices of First Nations are heard."

She has spent the nearly two months since the election mostly in meetings, she said, and as if to illustrate the point, her suitcase sits tucked away in the corner as she sits down for an interview. 

It's an apt metaphor for the Anishinaabe leader's entrance into the national chief's office: along with her actual luggage, Woodhouse Nepinak has some political baggage, too.

But she isn't concerned her past work for the Liberal Party of Canada could prove a liability for the federally funded organization — which received $52.8 million in revenue last year — as a 2025 election approaches.

And she denies campaigning unofficially for the top job while helping topple her predecessor, RoseAnne Archibald, in what the deposed leader branded a "laterally violent political coup" by a government-friendly AFN faction.

As Manitoba regional chief, she participated in the removal of Archibald, who cited Woodhouse Nepinak's Liberal connections and accused her of campaigning unofficially for the job behind the scenes. Pressed for a response, Woodhouse Nepinak denies the accusation.

"Absolutely not," she said.

"We were doing our jobs. We were working. I was focused on the $40 billion for First Nations."

The $40 billion refers to a two-part deal to reform the on-reserve child-welfare system and compensate children and families who were discriminated against from 1991 on. During her campaign, Woodhouse Nepinak credited a call she made to the prime minister with helping get the $23-billion compensation deal done. 

Her ties to the federal Liberals have sparked concern in other circles, however.