(FISHING LAKE METIS SETTLEMENT) – This week, Blake Desjarlais declared his intention to put his name forward to run for the Office of President of the Metis Settlements General Council (MSGC) in the upcoming MSGC election.
“As a proud member of the Fishing Lake Metis Settlement I know that our settlements, our 1.25 million acres of constitutionally protected lands, and our people are a blessing. But in a rapidly changing world, it is now more than ever that we must join in solidarity and build a grassroots movement,” said Blake Desjarlais. “We need leadership that promotes our Metis culture and rights, while advancing the struggle against poverty and addiction through good education, housing, and healthcare. We need a movement to protect our lands for generations to come while building an economy that offers good-paying jobs that sustain our communities. That is why I am putting my name forward for this nomination, to help build that movement.”
The MSGC collectively represents the eight Metis Settlements in Alberta, working together to provide essential services to its members. Those eight Metis Settlements elected their new local councils in October. Those local council members will gather as a General Council to elect a President and Vice President in late January.
“While individual members of the Metis Settlements don’t have a direct vote in this election, I am committed to opening up this process to the people I hope to serve and represent. That is why I am so proud that my home community, the Fishing Lake Metis Settlement, passed a motion to support me at our community’s general membership meeting last night,” said Desjarlais. “I am seeking to lead a democratic movement towards the empowerment of our members, which means our campaign is doing things differently than they’ve been done before. We are seeking the support of all community members willing to sign our campaign pledge and asking them to join our grassroots movement.”
About Blake:
Blake is a proud member of the Fishing Lake Metis Settlement, the community where he grew up and again calls home today. He is the son of the late Grace and William Desjarlais. He graduated from the University of Victoria and went on to serve as the first Director of National Affairs for the MSGC from 2016 until 2021, when he was elected to serve as the Member of Parliament for Edmonton Griesbach, a position he held until April of this year. You can read more about Blake Desjarlais here: https://www.blakedesjarlais.ca/
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