Gabrielle Blatz – Leading with purpose, representation, and reconciliation

by Chevi Rabbit

(ANNews) – In an exclusive Métis Week interview, Gabrielle Blatz – former two-term Wetaskiwin City Councillor, former Vice-Chair of the Green Municipal Fund in Ottawa, and current candidate in the Otipemisiwak Métis Government Provincial Women’s Representative by-election – opens up about her journey in leadership, advocacy, and community-building.

“I spent nearly 11 years working in healthcare at the Wetaskiwin Hospital and Care Centre, Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre, and the Centennial Centre for Brain Injury and Mental Health. I just stepped away from that career a couple of weeks ago,” Blatz shared. “It was a meaningful chapter, but I knew it was time to focus more fully on advocacy and community leadership.”

Blatz still calls Wetaskiwin home, living just fifteen minutes from her parents, who reside in Wetaskiwin County. With a warm smile, she mentions her three lively cats who keep her company and bring joy into her home.

Her commitment to public service is deeply rooted in her upbringing. “What got me into politics was growing up with humble beginnings,” she explained. “My family relied on the Salvation Army and local churches for clothes and food. I never really felt like I fit in, and that shaped my desire to help others who were struggling like I once did.”

That early experience taught her empathy and shaped her worldview. When she moved into Wetaskiwin, she saw firsthand the realities many people faced – homelessness, housing insecurity, and families living paycheck to paycheck. “I saw myself in them. That’s what pushed me toward city politics.”

Her motivation guided her through two impactful terms on Wetaskiwin City Council. “I wanted to help create a place where people who grew up like I did could feel supported and seen.”

Before entering politics, Blatz and two close friends – Meredith and Tyler – formed a local volunteer and education group that gathered monthly to learn about social issues, watch documentaries, discuss community challenges, and give back. “We explored topics like women’s rights, domestic violence, and homelessness. We volunteered, donated, and learned together. It was powerful, but after a year and a half, I realized more needed to be done at the decision-making level.”

A defining moment came in 2019, when both female city councillors stepped down. “I realized we needed a woman’s voice on council, and that someone had to step forward. I wasn’t sure I could do it – I was 23, young, and Indigenous – but a friend encouraged me, saying, Representation matters.”

Determined and hopeful, she and her team knocked on every door in Wetaskiwin three times. She won her first election, and later her second term, helping support the election of another woman to council along the way.

During her time on council, Blatz championed initiatives that promoted diversity, inclusion, and community solidarity. One of the most meaningful accomplishments was a citywide inclusivity campaign launched in partnership with Chevi Rabbit and the Hate to Hope initiative. “The campaign focused on promoting diversity and inclusion, and it also sparked a second movement addressing homelessness in Wetaskiwin, connected to the broader Hate to Hope work happening across Alberta.”

At the end of her second term, Blatz fulfilled a dream years in the making: bringing an Indigenous healing forest to Wetaskiwin. After meeting Project Forest at the Alberta Municipalities Convention, she shared her vision. “I told them I wanted an Indigenous healing forest in the middle of the city – a meaningful dedication of land back to our First Peoples.”

With support from Elder Ivy Raine, Project Forest, and dedicated volunteers, they created Ma Matow Sakow (Miracle Forest), planting thousands of trees on reclaimed land between By-the-Lake Park and Peace Hills Park. “Elder Ivy blessed all the trees on planting day, and people buried their children’s initials in the roots. This is a reconciliation piece that will outlive all of us,” Blatz said proudly.

Her leadership extends beyond local and regional activism. As former Vice-Chair of the Green Municipal Fund, Blatz played a national role in supporting environmental and sustainability projects across Canada – an achievement she considers one of her proudest. Internationally, she represented Canada at FEMPARL in Tunisia, speaking on Indigenous water rights and the importance of women’s leadership in responding to the climate crisis. “Being surrounded by women leaders from around the world was inspiring. During my first term on council, I struggled without women mentors and tried to lead like a man. In my second term, I learned to lead like a woman – and that’s where I found my power.”

Today, Blatz is seeking to serve her nation more directly through the Otipemisiwak Métis Government Provincial Women’s Representative by-election.

“When the position became available, it felt right. It’s deeply meaningful to work full-time for my people and continue reconciliation and Indigenous rights work,” she said.

She also reflected on the profound significance of this moment in history: “Having the opportunity to run in an election for a seat in a government that our ancestors fought for, but never got to see, is a deeply meaningful experience.”

Blatz explained the role with clarity and purpose:

“It would be advocating for and being a voice for our Métis women. This role will ensure there is always a woman’s voice at the table where decisions are made. This also includes consulting with women and girls, mentorship, and supporting programming. I will be helping to shape the lives of women in the Métis Nation with the work that we do.”

Her message to young people is one of courage and self-belief. “Your possibilities are limitless. Be fearless and brave because you don’t know where you’ll end up. I had to become the change I wanted to see – so even if you don’t see yourself in a position, put yourself there.”

As a proud Métis woman and trailblazer, Gabrielle Blatz continues to embody leadership, resilience, and dedication to her community. Her journey weaves together grassroots activism, national influence, and global advocacy, ensuring that Métis women and Indigenous voices are heard at every level of decision-making. Her story highlights the power of representation, the importance of reclaiming space, and the transformative impact of leading with courage, purpose, and heart.

Chevi Rabbit is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter