Treaty 8 Chiefs of Alberta Re-Elect Grand Chief Richard Kappo

At this year’s Treaty 8 Honouring our Treaty Gathering, on July 11, the time came for the Chiefs of Treaty No. 8 [Alberta] to elect a Grand Chief and Deputy Grand Chief for the upcoming year.

The Treaty chiefs are pleased to announce the re-election of Chief Richard Kappo of Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation to continue to be the Grand Chief of Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta for this year. Joining him is Chief Steve Courtoreille of Mikisew Cree First Nation taking the position as Deputy Grand Chief.

The Grand Chief and Deputy Grand Chief each serve a one-year term and act as the voice for the Chiefs on issues affecting their Nations collectively. These roles can be challenging because they sometimes need to deal with contentious issues, are voluntary positions and are on top of the duties they must perform as Chief of their home.

“It is an honour to be allowed to continue on as Grand Chief in this upcoming year. We have a lot of plans this year and want to continue our work in strengthening our Treaty and working with the government to honour their commitments to our people,” stated Grand Chief Kappo before continuing, “only together can First Nations and Canadians move forward to achieve a brighter tomorrow.”

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the previous Deputy Grand Chief, Chief Romeo Cardinal, for his hard work and dedication over the year,” contiued Grand Chief Kappo. “It was a pleasure to work with him this last year and his tireless commitment to our communities has been inspiring.”