Board of Directors

Chief Darlene Bernard was first elected Chief of the Lennox Island First Nation in April 2001. She has been re-elected in 2004 and 2007.

Chief Bernard has spent most of her life in the community she loves. She graduated from Holland College with a certificate in Office Administration. She has earned a certificate in Community Based Development from St. Francis Xavier University, an Aboriginal Employment Development Certificate from the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology and she holds a Professional Certification in Occupational Health and Safety from the Nova Scotia Safety College and is a certified WHMIS instructor.

Prior to her election as Chief, she served in many important positions with the Lennox Island Band, including positions in Economic Development, Human Resources Development and served as the Director of Employment Services for the band for many years. While serving in this capacity, she played in leading role in including adult education under the AHRDA program and implemented an upgrading program on Lennox Island.

Among her proudest accomplishments are the creation of the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island, the signing of the Canada-PEI-Mi’kmaq Partnership Agreement and the construction of the Chief Mary Bernard Women’s Shelter in Lennox Island.

Last year Chief Bernard was awarded the Order of Prince Edward Island, the first Aboriginal to receive the award. It is the highest honour that can be awarded to a citizen of the Province.

Chief Bernard and her husband Don have four children, Brad, Danielle, Blake and Drew. The couple resides in Lennox Island.

 
Councillor Debbie Bernard

Chief Brian Francis was first elected Chief of the Abegweit First Nation in August 2007.  He was re-elected in 2011.

Chief Francis was born September 28, 1957 in Lennox Island, Prince Edward Island. After receiving his early education in Lennox Island and Summerside, he completed four years of apprenticeship training and became a journeyman carpenter. He was the first Aboriginal person in PEI to receive his inter-provincial red seal trade certificate.

In 1983, he accepted the position as Education Coordinator with the Abegweit First Nation, providing advice and guidance to Aboriginal students. From 1983-1988, he returned to school on a part-time basis with the Maritime School of Social Work. In 1988, he began his career with the Government of Canada when he accepted a position with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Charlottetown. He served in various capacities with the Federal Government, including eight years as Employment and Issuance Officer with Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) and six years as an Employment Counsellor with HRDC. In 2002, he accepted the position as Aboriginal Coordinator with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and served in that position until his election as Chief and Band Administrator for Abegweit First Nation in August 2007.

Among his proudest accomplishments is the signing of the Canada-PEI-Mi’kmaq Partnership Agreement.

Chief Francis and his wife Georgina have three children, Kateri, Shawn and John Ryan. The couple resides in Rocky Point, Prince Edward Island.