After almost nine years fighting it out in the trenches of national native politics, Phil Fontaine is going out on a high note.

Sources close to the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations tell The Canadian Press that he'll confirm his retirement Thursday.

Fontaine, who deeply loves his job leading Canada's largest native advocacy group, had considered running for a record fourth, three-year term.

He first won in 1997 before being unseated by Matthew Coon Come in 2000. Fontaine reclaimed the assembly leadership in 2003 and was easily re-elected in 2006.

There is plenty of speculation that Fontaine, 64, will reinvent himself in the corporate world or perhaps even as a mainstream political candidate. The federal Liberals have repeatedly wooed him over the years.

"I think he probably has a number of options," said a source close to Fontaine. "And those options will grow after tomorrow. He has had a good couple of terms. His best accomplishment has been keeping things going with the Conservatives in power."

Indeed, one of Fontaine's finest moments was last June 11 when the Harper government offered a heart-felt, historic apology for decades of racist policy and abuse in native residential schools. Fontaine responded in the House of Commons in full regalia and head-dress.

He was one of the first former students to go public with his own ordeal of sexual abuse as a boy at the Fort Alexander school in Manitoba.

Fontaine has alluded many times to his ongoing struggle with pain that so many native people carry to this day.

A news conference for Thursday was abruptly confirmed late Wednesday, hours after Fontaine deflected questions about his future.

Another source close to the national chief said his staff was told Wednesday that he will not seek another term.

Four challengers have already announced plans to run for leadership of the assembly representing 633 chiefs across Canada.

Shawn Atleo, the assembly's vice-chief for British Columbia is widely considered the front-runner. The other candidates include John Beaucage, grand chief of the 42-member Union of Ontario Indians, and Perry Bellegarde, former assembly vice-chief for Saskatchewan.

Roseau River First Nation Chief Terrance Nelson, best known for briefly threatening to shut down rail lines in Manitoba during a 2007 national native Day of Action, has also said he'll run.

The AFN election is July 22 in Calgary.