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By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

formal transition

Métis Nation of Alberta becomes Otipemisiwak Métis Government with first election

Sep 29, 2023 | 12:48 PM

The Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) has concluded its first election for the Otipemisiwak Métis Government.

This marks the formal transition to that government from MNA. Elections were held Sept. 13-19, with a total of 8,167 ballots cast and accepted.

“This election marked an important next step in the journey to Métis self-government in Alberta. With this election concluded, the Métis Nation of Alberta has now become the Otipemisiwak Métis Government,” said Del Graff, chief electoral officer. “That is an incredible achievement.”

In a release, it’s explained that the Otipemisiwak Métis Government Constitution establishes a Citizens Council consisting of a President, Women’s Representative, and Youth Representative (each elected province-wide) and 22 District Representatives (each elected by the MNA Citizens in their respective districts). The province-wide vote saw all of these positions filled.

That includes in District 3-Red Deer, where Joe Chodzicki ran unopposed and was acclaimed.

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Chodzicki was, until the election, the president of the Métis Local Number 3.

The rest of the results are as follows:

President:
Andrea Sandmaier – 5693 votes
Joseph Pimlott – 2131 votes

Andrea Sandmaier is hereby declared elected as the first President of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government.

Citizens’ Representative in Calgary Nose Hill Métis District 5
Nelson Anthony Lussier – 273 votes
Lisa Hunt – 243 votes
Karen Acuna – 219 votes

Citizens’ Representative in Calgary Elbow Métis District 6
Jason Chernow – 205 votes
Rhonda Germaine Baglot – 173 votes
Randall Fedderson – 80 votes

Citizens’ Representative in Jasper House Métis District 7
Kaila Mitchell – 92 votes
Terry Rudyk – 34 votes

Citizens’ Representative in Lac Ste. Anne Métis District 8
Lisa Wolfe – 232 votes
Mike Hanly – 168 votes
Wendy Snow – 175 votes

Citizens’ Representative in St. Albert Métis District 11
Alfred L’Hirondelle – 356 votes
Gwenn Thiele – 316 votes
Luc Gauthier – 146 votes

Citizens’ Representatives in St. Paul-Cold Lake Métis District 12
Karen Collins – 300 votes
Tanya Shaw – 235 votes

District Captain in St. Paul-Cold Lake Métis District 12
Bernie Poitras – 271 Votes
Tanya Fayant – 251 votes

Citizens’ Representative in Peace River Métis District 14
Barry Dibb – 163 votes
Carol Ridsdale – 152 votes
Roechelle Gaudet – 47 votes

Citizens’ Representative in Fort Vermilion Métis District 15.
Bobbi Paul-Alook – 116 votes
Odell Flett – 50 votes
Loretta Ann Calliou – 36 votes

Citizens’ Representative in Fort McMurray Métis District 17
Brooke Bramfield – 114 votes
Michael Durocher – 82 votes

Citizens’ Representative in Lac La Biche Métis District 19
Jason Ekeberg – 165 votes
Jerry Ladouceur – 36 votes
Dwayne Roth – 34 votes

District Captain in Athabasca Landing Métis District 20
The results of this race were too close to call and are undergoing an automatic recount.

Citizens’ Representative in Lesser Slave Lake Métis District 21.
Grant Lacombe – 178 votes
Bev New – 97 votes

The following individuals were acclaimed:

Tai Amy Grauman, Women’s Representative
Rebecca Lavallee, Youth Representative
Darryl W. Campbell, Citizens’ Representative, District 1 Foothills
Catherine Schnell, Citizens’ Representative, District 2 Medicine Hat
Joe Chodzicki, Citizens’ Representative District 3 Red Deer
Lisa Schmidt, Citizens’ Representative, District 4 Rocky View
Carmen Lasante, District Captain, District 6 Calgary Elbow
Sarah Wolfe, Citizens’ Representative, District 9 Fort Edmonton
Aura Leddy, Citizens’ Representative, District 10 Edmonton Whitemud
Shannon Dunfield, Citizens’ Representative, District 13 Grande Prairie
Judy Ann Cardinal, Citizens’ Representative, District 16 Fort Chipewyan
Valerie Quintal, Citizens’ Representative, District 18 Conklin
Joseph Noel Tremblay, Citizens’ Representative, District 20 Athabasca Landing
Nancy Margaret Cardinal, Citizens’ Representative, District 22 Wabasca-Desmarais
Regan Auger, District Captain, District 22 Wabasca-Desmarais