Phil Fontaine, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), has cautioned northern chiefs about federal Conservative Party attitudes toward first nations issues.

Fontaine was in Whitehorse on Tuesday for this week's Council of Yukon First Nations leadership meetings.

'We face an uncertainty because of the (Jan. 23) federal election,' Fontaine told the chiefs and other officials during an afternoon address.

' I was just reading a transcript and this is just by way of example....' Fontaine said.

He flagged what he called a ' very concerning statement' made by Conservative finance critic Monte Solberg on CJWW radio in Saskatoon regarding the Nov. 24-25 first ministers' meeting on aboriginal affairs held in Kelowna, B.C.

During the radio interview, Fontaine said, Solberg was asked about the commitments and outcomes of the premiers' meeting and whether the Conservative party would support them.

Fontaine quoted an excerpt from the Solberg radio interview during a roundtable discussion with the northern chiefs:

'The Kelowna first ministers' meeting agreement is something that they crafted at the last minute on the back of a napkin on the eve of an election.... We're not going to honour that. We will have our own plan that will help natives' a lot more than the Liberals.'

Fontaine said Solberg's statement showed an 'inappropriate use of language we're not natives'; we're indigenous people, we're first nations.

'The commitments we secured (in Kelowna) at the (premiers' meeting) were the result of... months and months of hard work... discussions and meetings... we brought our best people and our best ideas to the table... it was our plan,' Fontaine said.

'We would never... craft a plan or an agreement on the back of a napkin. It is disrespectful to portray what we did in that light, and if that's what the Conservative Party is offering first nations if they form the government then it spells big trouble for us.'

'I would caution first nations people on January 23rd caution them if they're thinking of supporting the Conservative Party. This is very serious for us. We are seeking clarification from Solberg and the Conservative Party,' he added.

Fontaine's comments about Solberg stemmed from a question posed to him during the roundtable discussions regarding the standing of land issues between the AFN and the federal government.

'I don't have an answer for you, but one thing I do know is that we have a commitment on the part of the federal government on a new claims policy both specific and comprehensive that would take us away from extinguishment'. Extinguishment (of first nation's claims) is no longer part of the federal government claims policy,' Fontaine said.

'Are those mandates secure? At this stage, I couldn't give you the kind of assurance you seek,' he added.

The Star attempted to contact Solberg in his Medicine Hat, Alta. riding and via the Conservative Party's media office, to no avail.

Jim Prentice, the Conservatives' northern affairs critic, was also unavailable for comment.

Sue Greetham, the party's Yukon candidate, said late this morning that although Solberg's quote is one he may regret, one must look at the broader context of the statements Fontaine chose to isolate.

Greetham stated the Conservatives would implement an 'action plan' and work with first nations groups more directly, and circumvent a 'slow and sluggish process' that had been underway between the Liberals and the AFN.

Greetham said first nations' needs would be better met through Conservative initiatives because money will be allocated to those who need it quickly.

She said the Conservative party agrees with the principles and broad outlines of the first ministers' meeting in Kelowna, but that objectives would not be realized due to the inaction surrounding the process.