Atleo wins AFN election after marathon vote

Shawn Atleo was elected the new National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations after a 23-hour overnight voting session in Calgary July 23.

Atleo, the AFN Vice-Chief from B.C., was in a tight neck-and-neck race with Perry Bellegarde, a councillor from Saskatchewan’s Little Black Bear First Nation.

Though neither candidate had the 60% of votes needed to win, Bellegarde conceded after eight ballots.