第一民族議會是個全國性倡議組織，代表加拿大的原住民族，他們遍及全國各鄉鎮，包括超過90萬住在364個部落的原住民。民族酋長和第一民族議會的角色，是提倡第一民族議會能由酋長身為代表帶領運作，包含促進協調國家與地方之間的討論和對話、倡議行動和建立陣營、法律與政策分析，和與政府溝通。與政府的溝通又包含促進第一民族和官方之間，以及公私營部門和廣大公眾之間關係的建立。

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a national advocacy organization representing First Nation citizens in Canada, which includes more than 900,000 people living in 634 First Nation communities and in cities and towns across the country. The role of the National Chief and the AFN is to advocate on behalf of First Nations as directed by Chiefs-in-Assembly. This includes facilitation and coordination of national and regional discussions and dialogue, advocacy efforts and campaigns, legal and policy analysis, communicating with governments, including facilitating relationship building between First Nations and the Crown as well as public and private sectors and general public.