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CROSS EXAMINED Planting the seeds of change Pam Palmater may not have won the election to be the Assembly of First Nations' national chief, but she's only tried once. BY MICHAEL MCKIERNAN Pam Palmater grew up off-reserve and was only granted status last year. Nations, maverick candidate Pam Palmater squeezed in some last-minute canvassing. Between chats with voting chiefs, A photographs with supporters, she had some advice for two of her most loyal followers: "Go and get something to eat," Palmater told her sons, Mitchell, 20, and Jeremy, 18, ever-present at her side on voting day July 18. "Having my two kids there beside me was really important," Palmater live television interviews, and s the first poll drew to a close in the vote to determine the next national chief of the Assembly of First tells Canadian Lawyer. "I wanted to make sure they were there, learning and watching and listening, because I want them to grow up and do the same thing in the future. family, and Palmater is hoping to pass the passion on to the next generation. It started early for the 42-year-old Mi'kmaw lawyer and university professor, who is a member of New Brunswick's Eel River Bar First Nation. Although she grew up off-reserve, and was only granted Indian status last year after a change in the Indian Act, she grew up in a politi- cally active household, surrounded by 11 siblings. "My father made sure that if Community activism runs " in the 22 SEPTEMBER 2012 www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com there was a new aboriginal organization starting, that we were part of it. Whether it was a native women's organization, an off-reserve housing organization, it didn't matter, he would sign us up. I was much younger than they were, but they took me along and it became a part of my life, hood at meetings, at protests, at govern- ment negotiations, at assemblies. When I was young, it was confusing and boring, and I didn't know why it was important, but I'm so glad I did it, because I can't imagine a life of not being involved, and not standing up for our issues." It took a strong nudge from family members to push a hesitant Palmater " says Palmater. "I spent my child- ben poWless