Indian Country Today Media Network, News Report, Posted: Jan 14, 2013

First Nations were split over the effectiveness of meetings between their leaders, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and a later gathering with Governor General David Johnston on Friday January 11.

Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence boycotted the first meeting and went to the second but then left it early, according to the Canadian Press, pronouncing it without substance and vowing to continue her hunger strike. The grassroots Idle No More movement, continued preparing for widespread civil disobedience.

Assembly of First Nations Shawn A-in-chut Atleo and 19 other First Nations leaders kept their appointment with the prime minister over the objections of many of their constituents, according to reports from the Vancouver Sun and other media. Several chiefs, including Gordon Peters of the Association of Iroquois and Allied Nations (AIAI) in Ontario and Derek Nepinak, Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, had urged Atleo to boycott the meeting as Spence had.

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