New Brunswick Assembly of First Nations

Learn more about NB-AFN, our mandate, and our work.

About Us

NBAFN is one of 10 regional organizations affiliated with the national Assembly of First Nations whose members include 633 First Nations across Canada.

The Regional Chief for New Brunswick sits on the AFN Executive Committee where her role is to ensure NBAFN members’ concerns are addressed.

The Regional Chief, Joanna Bernard, also holds specific portfolios that deal with National policy issues and concerns.

Meet the Regional Chief

Joanna Bernard of Madawaska First Nation was elected Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief for New Brunswick in 2021.

Latest
News

You've reached the end of Latest News

A Declaration of
First Nations

We the Original Peoples of this land know the Creator put us here.

The Creator gave us laws that govern all our relationships to live in harmony with nature and mankind.

The Laws of the Creator defined our rights and responsibilities.

The Creator gave us our spiritual beliefs, our languages, our culture, and a place on Mother Earth which provided us with all our needs.

We have maintained our Freedom, our Languages, and our Traditions from time immemorial.

We continue to exercise the rights and fulfill the responsibilities and obligations given to us by the Creator for the land upon which we were placed.

The Creator has given us the right to govern ourselves and the right to self-determination.

The rights and responsibilities given to us by the Creator cannot be altered or taken away by any other Nation.

Upcoming
Events

Recent
Highlights

Oh, Great Spirit,

whose voice I hear in the winds

and whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me.

l am small and weak.

I need your strength and wisdom.

 

Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes

ever behold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have made

and my ears sharp to hear your voice.

Make me wise so that I may understand

the things you have taught my people.

Let me learn the lessons you have hidden

in every leaf and rock.

 

I seek strength, not to be superior to my brother,

but to fight my greatest enemy – myself.

Make me always ready to come to you

with clean hands and straight eyes,

so when life fades, as the fading sunset,

my spirit will come to you

without shame.

 

Prayer by Chief John Yellow Lark

Contact Regional Chief Joanna Bernard

We love to hear thoughts, ideas, experiences, and feedback from communities all across Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq territory.