Pride in our Community.
Leadership for our Future.

kahkiyaw kitatamiskatinawaw,

As this election gets underway, I want to begin by acknowledging the incredible support I have received from kehtayak and community members in the last few days, weeks, and months.

As I announce my candidacy today to be the next Chief of the Beardy’s & Okemasis’ Cree Nation, I want to acknowledge our community for allowing me to work hard, demonstrate my skills, and earn your trust. I’ve heard you in our conversations, and I agree that it’s time to see a generational change that demonstrates a new, and modern style of leadership.

Leadership that takes pride in our people. Leadership that takes pride in our culture. Leadership that takes pride in our language. And leadership that takes pride and promotes our community’s ability to achieve.

We desperately need leadership to address the urgent issues affecting our community’s safety: crime, dogs, drugs, and gangs. We need transparent leadership that respects and enforces the laws developed by our people; and sets our us on a path toward self-determination. And we need leadership to build our people up as a Nation.

We need leadership that will build upon the success of previous Councils – leadership that respects and recognizes what is good, and keeps it going. Like our housing. But we also desperately need to ensure that those who have the privilege of moving into a home on-reserve, have something to do.

And that’s why we need leadership to start building a local economy so that families can thrive – we need small businesses and investment to create good jobs here, so that families don’t need to be separated for weeks and weeks at a time.

We need leadership that creates the conditions necessary so that our people can build our homes, because what we have seen is the conditions set for others to build our homes. We have the talent and we have the skills right here.

We need leadership that communicates regularly and proactively to build trust; leadership that recognizes communication as a pillar of good government – not something that’s only done after an emergency. We need communication that keeps our people regularly informed.

We need leadership that engages with government to ensure that our Treaty and Inherent Rights are respected, not leadership that hinders administrative progress. We need to remove politics from administration and we need to establish a true Nation-to-Nation relationship.

We need leadership that respects the unique mental health challenges faced by our men, our women, our youth, and our kehtayak; and we need leadership that takes pride in creating an inclusive, diverse, and respectful community for all our relations.

I want to do this and so much more. But I need your help to do it.

Have a look at my website and review my priorities thoroughly. And don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts!

If you like what you’ve read, please consider voting for me on Election Day, Friday, March 31, 2023.

kininaskomitinawaw,

Pride & Leadership