The Edson-area native has become the Métis Nation’s citizen’s representative for the Jasper House Métis District.
“I am really excited about this role because I feel like it perfectly aligns all of my background,” she said, referring to her post-secondary education in Aboriginal Studies as well as her behind the scenes work in provincial politics.
A province-wide vote was held between Sept. 13 and 19. The journey to self-government ratified the province-wide referendum, which completes the formal transition of the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) to the new Otipemisiwak Métis Government.
It is still recognized as the oldest continuous Métis government in Canada.
Mitchell joins new President Andrea Sandmaier and the other representatives on the 22-member Citizens’ Council.
With a total of 8,167 ballots cast, the election represents the largest leadership vote in the MNA’s history and the largest leadership vote ever conducted for an Indigenous government in Canadian history, according to the organization.
Those 22 new public servants of the Métis Nation are ready for the swearing in ceremony in Edmonton on Oct. 15.
Self-governance will allow for the establishing of a new fiscal relationship with the federal government to provide Métis-designed supports across the board while improving the social services provided to Métis in Alberta.
“Métis in Alberta have a bold vision for a brighter future. I am humbled and honoured to be elected as the first President of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and look forward to working with my fellow elected representatives, our Citizens and communities to move our Nation forward,” said President-Elect Andrea Sandmaier in a prepared statement on AlbertaMétis.com.
For Mitchell, she’s itching to get to work.
“Everything with the campaign went really well. I quite enjoyed chatting with folks in our area. I’m looking forward to just getting started, honestly,” she said.
In her canvassing and campaigning, she heard a lot of the demand for more housing supports, more cultural programming, more youth engagement, as well as harvesting rights with sustainable harvesting practices.
She worked as a ministerial assistant with Adriana LaGrange during her time as minister of education and then was MLA Martin Long's campaign manager for the provincial election.
She called the Alberta Legislature a “great growing experience” where she learned a lot. That did not necessarily mean she wanted to continue with the public sector.
“I hadn’t actually ever intended on entering in politics. The universe opened the door, and I stepped through. It wasn’t something I had been actively looking for,” she said.
“I wanted a little bit of, I think, a slower pace. I wanted to work in private sector. And then I ended up managing one of the provincial campaigns while I was figuring out what I wanted to do, and then this came up, and I thought, oh my gosh, there’s no way. It’s too perfect: Indigenous and Aboriginal issues are really important to me. That’s what I studied. That the skills and things that I learned at the legislature came into play.”
It was so perfect that she could not take her shot at becoming elected.
“I feel like with everything that I’ve learned, I do have skills and connections to be able to make good change for our area. I feel like I have something I can offer for people here. This wasn’t a trajectory that I thought my life was going to take, but here I am.”
While bringing about that positive change for the Métis people, she will aspire to strengthen dialogue and improve nation to nation relationships.
Editor's note: Kaila Mitchell worked as a ministerial assistant with Adriana LaGrange during her time as minister of education and then was MLA Martin Long's campaign manager for the provincial election. The story has been updated to clarify this.
