Attawapiskat First Nation is preparing for an upcoming local election for leadership set to take place on August 29, 2025. The community recently held a nomination meeting at the Reg Louttit Sportsplex Gym on Thursday July 31, 2025 to allow community members to nominate candidates for the election. The community will be electing leaders for the position of Chief, Deputy Chief and 11 Council members. The meeting included members of Attawapiskat FN as well as First Nation members who participated through live online teleconferencing from different locations.

The general election day will take place on August 29 from 9am to 8pm and a single advance voting day will be held on August 16 from 11am to 3pm in the community. The advance voting day is being held for community members who will not be able to attend the general election day.

The current leadership is headed by Chief Sylvia Koostachin-Metatawabin, Deputy Chief Jack Linklater Jr and Councillors Steve Hookimaw, Xavier Wheesk, Maggie Koostachin, Kara Shisheesh, Robert Sutherland, James A. Kataquapit, Roseanne Sutherland, Paul Wesley, Sheldon Wesley, Tesla Nakogee and Ignace Wesley.

The nomination meeting was led by Chief Electoral Officer Louis Noah. He is a lifelong community member who has been involved in many local elections over the past few decades. He was assisted by Pauline Wheesk, Deputy Electoral Officer; Sherry A Davey-Mattinas, Governance Coordinator and community members Sky Koostachin and Gilbert Spence. An opening prayer for the gathering was provided by Adrian Sutherland and a closing prayer by Celine Koostachin.

Off-reserve members who live in southern communities, cities and towns will be able to take part and vote in this election.

As in every community election, First Nation members will be voting in person in the community on election day. The First Nation will accommodate and provide opportunities for off-reserve members to cast their vote for leadership. Chief Electoral Officer Louis Noah noted that due to delays and other concerns over the past year, they are not able to provide for mail in ballots for off-reserve members.

“We are doing our best to have voting for off-reserve members. Everything is new and we hope to accommodate as much as we can. Now that this is a reality, future elections will make it easier for the off-reserve membership to take part,” said Chief Electoral Officer Noah.

The community will be providing polling booths for off-reserve members to cast their votes in person in tentatively planned locations in Moosonee, Cochrane, Timmins, North Bay and Sudbury.

As plans are being finalized, members are being asked to stay in contact with election officials and to monitor notices provided on the Facebook group pages ‘ACB - Attawapiskat Community Bulletin’ and the newly created group page ‘Attawapiskat First Nation Election 2025’.

Any Attawapiskat FN members who live on-reserve or off-reserve who have questions about the election can contact Chief Electoral Officer Louis Noah by email directly at louienoah@hotmail.com (please note the spelling of the email address)

Many First Nations across the country are now implementing ways to allow their membership whether they are on-reserve or off-reserve to take part in community elections. Neighbouring community Fort Albany First Nation recently conducted a bi-election for two First Nation Councillors in their community in October 2025 using One Feather, an Indigenous tech and services company located in Victoria, British Columbia that provides services to allow First Nations to conduct secure digital voting events for any individual regardless of their location.

The candidates for Attawapiskat FN Chief who accepted their nominations and will be on the ballot for the upcoming election are Raphael Bonez Wheesk, Paul Wesley, Sylvia Koostachin-Metatawabin, Conrad Iahtail and David Freitag Nakogee.

The candidates who declined their nomination for Chief were Adrian Sutherland, Christopher W Kataquapit, Brian Nakogee and Jack Linklater Jr.

The candidates for Deputy Chief who accepted their nominations and will be on the ballot are Kara Fireman, Rosie Koostachin, Joyce Wabano Spence, Louis Edwards and Cathy Wesley.

The candidates who declined their nomination for Deputy Chief were Robert Sutherland, Betty Crawford, Christopher W Kataquapit, Lynda Jack, Helen Wabano, Jack Linklater Jr, Ron Shisheesh and Virginia Wheesk Spence.

The candidates for 11 Council member positions who accepted their nominations and will be on the ballot are Raymond Metatawabin, John B Nakogee, George R Nakogee, Lindy Mudd, Gilbert Spence, Roseanne Sutherland, Joseph Louttit, Linda Friday, Maggie Koostachin, Holly Couchie (Chookomolin Preweda), Teyonna Spence, ShirleyAnn Okimaw, Jack Linklater Jr, Shirley Gagnon, Mary Louise Nakogee, Sheldon Wesley, Christine Kataquapit, Xavier G Wheesk, Robert Sutherland, Xavier Rose, Clarence Carpenter and Bernard Spence.

The candidates who declined their nomination for Council member were Adrian Sutherland, Alice Metatawabin, Charlie Kebokee, Sky Koostachin, Jeronimo Kataquapit, Rosaire Hookimaw, Christopher W Kataquapit, Diane Hookimaw, James Kataquapit and Celine Koostachin.