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During this year’s Calgary Stampede, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government showed up in community, in conversation, and in collaboration.
I was proud to attend the second annual Métis Stampede Festival, where our culture took centre stage. From jigging to bannock, the event was a powerful reminder of our strength and spirit.
Stampede also gave us a chance to do what governments must: connect, advocate, and get things done. I met with Premier Smith, federal and provincial ministers, Mayor Sohi, and leaders across all levels and parties. These were meaningful conversations about housing, self-government, and our shared future.
We may be a new government, but we’ve always been bridge-builders. And we will keep showing up at powwows, at Stampede breakfasts, and in boardrooms, making sure our Citizens’ voices are heard.
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Memorandum of Understanding Information Session | Last week, the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and the Fort Vermilion and Area Seniors and Elders Lodge Board held an information session on a Memorandum of Understanding that was recently signed. Our government was represented by Secretary of Housing & Infrastructure, Valerie Quintal, and Fort Vermilion Métis District Citizens’ Representative, Bobbi Paul-Alook. The purpose of the MOU is to explore partnership opportunities between the Otipemisiwak Métis Government and the Fort Vermilion Seniors and Elders Lodge Board in developing and operating a culturally inclusive seniors supportive living facility in the community. The prospective facility will focus on a designated supportive living facility, a lodge, as well as the relevant wrap-around healthcare and supportive services. | | | |
25th Anniversary of St. Margaret’s Church
On Sunday, July 13, Citizens are invited to attend mass at the church and join us for a luncheon with jiggers, artists, a silent auction, and a speech to follow at North Cooking Lake Hall. The silent auction will close at 3:30 p.m. that afternoon.
Bus transportation will be available from the hall to the church and back for the luncheon. Parking will be available at the front of the church for Citizens with disabilities as the bus is not properly equipped. Attendees are responsible for their own transportation to North Cooking Lake Hall.
No sign-up is required!
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Glenda Levesque at glendalev@me.com, Marie Tanner at marie.w.tanner@gmail.com, or Marja Allan at cwja@telus.net. We hope to see you there!
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Call For Referees!
We're looking for dedicated and skilled referees for our upcoming Métis Cup from August 1 to 3. If you have refereeing experience and a passion for hockey, we want you!
Apply now and be part of an exciting event.
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Join Us For Our 97th Year Of Citizens' Gathering!
Gas cards will be available for Citizens travelling more than 150 km to attend the gathering and will be provided to one Citizen per household. To see if you qualify, please check the map available in the RSVP form.
To learn more, visit our website or email us at ABMetisEvents@metis.org. We can’t wait to see you there!
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Updated Domestic Fishing License Conditions
The Domestic Fishing License Conditions have been updated for 2025–2026. Please refer to and adhere to these regulations.
Approved Fishing Locations: Otipemisiwak Métis Government-Approved Harvesters may only fish in lakes listed in the current regulations.
Fishing with Non-Approved Harvesters: When fishing with individuals who are not Otipemisiwak Métis Government-Approved Harvesters, you cannot keep any fish they catch that would be illegal under the regulations.
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Following the Rules: If there are no specific angling rules listed for your fishing location, please follow the "General Rules for Angling" found on page 2 of the regulations.
If you have any questions about the rules or regulations, please contact us at harvesting@metis.org.
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Event Photo Collection
Looking for photos from our recent events? Browse our collection of event galleries featuring highlights from community gatherings, celebrations, and special occasions. Check out the available galleries below and relive the memorable moments!
Golf Tournament
Audrey Poitras 26th Annual Golf Tournament - June 2025
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We Are Coming To You!
Our Consultation Department wants to hear from our women, youth aged 16 to 29, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ Citizens from across the province!
Attend our engagements and share your thoughts on how we can help you connect with your Métis community and culture as we travel throughout the province. Participants are eligible for an honorarium.
Check out an event near you!
Dates and times can be found at the links below.
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Room To Grow: The Importance of Centering Métis Voices
Explore how Métis-led approaches are shaping early learning spaces. Join us for an insightful webinar with Molly Young, Associate Director of Child Care at the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, as she discusses the importance of centering Métis voices in early childhood care.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
6 p.m.–7 p.m. MST
Online via Zoom
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Breaking Barriers: Enhancing Service Accessibility
Join Sage Sansregret, Early Years Coordinator with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government’s Children and Family Services, for a virtual session focused on practical ways to support Métis children in early learning and child care (ELCC) settings.
Sage brings both experience and insight to her work, with a background in research, hands-on practice, and even high-performance hockey coaching. She’s passionate about creating spaces where children can learn, grow, and reach their potential.
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Mark Your Calendars!
The Otipemisiwak Métis Government Children and Family Services Department is excited to announce Nurturing Connections: Métis Family Gathering, happening October 24–26, 2025 at the Wyndham Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta.
This gathering is all about creating space for connection, culture, and community. It’s a chance for Métis children and families to come together in a warm, welcoming environment filled with family-friendly activities rooted in Métis traditions, values, and ways of knowing.
| | Spots will be limited and in high demand, so be ready when the application link goes live on July 25, 2025. | | | |
Métis Music In The Mail!
Celebrate Métis cultural traditions right from home with our brand new Métis Music Play-Along Mailout Kit! Our Early Years team is excited to share this fun-filled kit, which comes with an engaging activity booklet, links to recorded Métis music, inspiring Métis musician spotlights, and even a set of musical spoons so you can jam along!
Registration is now open!
Let’s make some music together, the Métis way!
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Join Us For A Community Bird Walk!
Led by Ariana Inman from Bird Dreams, these walks are a great opportunity to gain birding skills and learn about birds’ ecological significance.
Questions? Please contact Jac Curry, Environment Coordinator, at environment@metis.org.
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Get Involved In Our Fish Monitoring Program
It’s fishing season again! Fill out our fishing forms between June 1 and August 31 at albertametis.com/fish-health and be entered to win a $250 Cabela’s gift card.
Your submissions support our Fish Community Monitoring StoryMap, a Citizen-powered resource with information on popular fishing spots, recommended seasons for fishing, and more.
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Submit Your Berry Harvesting Trip Form Today!
Out picking berries? Share your experiences! Fill out our Berry Harvesting Trip form to help us understand how human activities, weather conditions, and climate change impact berry-producing species.
Whether your harvest was successful or not, we want to hear about it! Even unsuccessful harvests can help us better understand what might be affecting the plants we value.
| | Complete the Berry Harvesting Trip form today at albertametis.com/programs-services/berry-health/. To show our appreciation, we’re offering all Citizens who submit forms by October 31 an opportunity to enter a draw for a $250 Cabela’s gift card. We’ll draw a winner and send them the gift card in November. | |
Sustainability Tip:
Indigenous Voices on Climate Change
Want to learn how Indigenous Peoples are preparing for a future shaped by climate change? Check out this groundbreaking new report.
For Our Future: Indigenous Resilience is an Indigenous-led national assessment that explores how First Nations, Inuit, and Métis across Canada are experiencing and responding to climate change.
Centering Indigenous knowledge systems, the report highlights the deep connections between climate impacts, colonialism, governance, food systems, and resilience. It demonstrates the importance of grounding climate action in Indigenous self-determination, youth leadership, and cultural strength through case studies and lived experiences, offering powerful insight into decolonizing climate policy and building a just, sustainable future for all.
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Pathways To Healthy Living | | | |
Thinking About Quitting Tobacco? We’re Here To Help.
Join our free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Information Sessions on Zoom to learn about tools and strategies to quit tobacco.
By attending all three sessions, you will receive a $500 Alberta Blue Cross benefits card for NRT products (patch, gum, spray, etc.) or medications (Champix, Zyban).
Register by July 28
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Take the first step toward a tobacco-free lifestyle and break smoking habits.
For more information, contact tobaccoreduction@metis.org
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Understanding Arthritis In The Métis Community
Arthritis is more than just joint pain; it is a chronic condition that impacts daily life, mobility, and overall well-being. We are pleased to present our health report, “Epidemiological and Health Services Indicators of Arthritis Among the Métis Population of Alberta”, developed in collaboration with the University of Alberta and Alberta Health. This report provides valuable insights related to arthritis among Métis Albertans in comparison to the non-Métis population.
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Key Highlights:
- Prevalence of arthritis in the Métis community
- Access to treatment and health services
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Substance Use Recovery Program
Shakiwayniwayhk, the Substance Use Recovery Program, offers eligible Citizens recovering from substance use disorders individualized support to foster independent and healthy living during the maintenance stage of recovery.
For more information email us at: substanceuserecovery@metis.org
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To be eligible for this program, applicants must:
• Be an Otipemisiwak Métis Government Citizen
• Be aged 18+
• Be a resident of Alberta
• Be in recovery from substance use disorders
• Have completed treatment at a Recovery Alberta-approved residential or inpatient program in the past 12 months
OR
Be actively engaged and stabilized for 6 months through a Recovery Alberta-accredited outpatient treatment program and have this confirmed by your outpatient treatment team*
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Join Us for a Métis Finger Weaving Workshop!
Métis youth aged 12–17 are invited to learn the traditional art of finger weaving with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government in partnership with Nampa/Northern Sunrise County FCSS!
Snacks & drinks provided!
Take home your own woven craft and cultural knowledge!
July 16, 2025
3 p.m.–4 p.m.
10203 99 Ave, Nampa
| | Open to Métis Citizens, self-identifying Métis, and non-Métis youth. Spaces are limited — call 780-322-3954 to register today! | | | |
Rekindling the Flame — Indigenous Fire Practices and Wildfire Knowledge
Come listen, learn, eat, and share at our second Wildfire Awareness Seminar, happening both in person at our Edmonton Youth Building and online!
July 19, 2025
1 p.m.–2 p.m.
Online and In-Person
Youth Building,
11821 123 Street, Edmonton AB
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PHD student, researcher, and scientist Keara Lightning will talk about the history of controlled burns in Indigenous ecological practices within Alberta and beyond, how this knowledge has been suppressed by other forms of forestry, and how these cultural practices are being revitalized today.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME to register and attend! Don't miss this important conversation about land, fire, and cultural revitalization.
Questions? Email Bailey at BLohmann@metis.org
Facilitator Bio:
Keara Lightning is a PhD student in the Department of Renewable Resources at the University of Alberta. She is a member of Samson Cree Nation. She holds an MA in Native Studies and a BA in Indigenous Environmental Studies from Trent University. Her research centers on Indigenous-led science and environmental management, with a focus on collaborative research, environmental histories, and wildfire management.
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Find Your District Captain Or Citizens' Representative | | | | |
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Reconnect And Explore At Family Camp August 8–10
Join us for Family Camp at Métis Crossing! This unforgettable weekend offers hands-on cultural experiences, outdoor adventure, and meaningful time together on the land. From canoeing and archery to Métis storytelling and crafting, it’s the perfect summer getaway for families looking to unplug and reconnect.
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Buffy’s B-Day Is Back!
Join the Métis Education Foundation and Rupertsland Institute on July 25, 2025 for an afternoon of community connections, food and fun, as we celebrate RLI's 15th anniversary.
Bring your family and friends, everyone is welcome at the Edmonton Inn & Conference Centre (11834 Kingsway Ave, Edmonton).
On July 26, 2010, RLI was incorporated as a Section 9 company under the Alberta Companies Act, which officially established RLI as an affiliate of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. This day marks an important milestone for RLI!
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Education Consultant Secondment Opportunity
"Working with Rupertsland changed the way I teach. It’s community, culture, and purpose.”
Now it’s your turn.
We’re looking for a seconded Education Consultant to support ELCC, K–12, and Métis language initiatives.
Collaborate. Learn. Lead.
Bring Métis perspectives into classrooms across Alberta.
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The program teaches participants authentic Métis ways of being and helps early learning educators to weave authentic Métis education into their early learning spaces.
Early learning educators, administrators and/or those in key positions are invited to apply for the 2025–2026 program.
- Métis culture, history, Michif, Land-Based Learning and more
- Online and In-Person for No-Cost
- Certificate of Completion
- For inquiries, please email earlylearning@rupertsland.org.
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Emergency Medical Responder Certification
Be on the scene and start your journey towards a career as an Emergency Medical Responder.
Emergency Medical Responder training is the first step in Alberta towards a career as a paramedic.
Training runs from October 27 to November 21 online and from November 24 to December 19 at the Nekinan Lodge in Smoky Lake.
All applicants are required to have up-to-date CPR Level C and Standard First Aid certifications.*
| | Applications are open until August 30, apply today! | | | |
Join RLI's Expanding Team
We are hiring for various roles requiring diverse skill sets. Please note that more postings will also be coming out soon.
See an opportunity that suits you? Please visit our website for more information and to apply.
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Registry Has A New Email Address!
To better represent the Registry Department’s important role with Otipemisiwak Métis Government, the department has updated its email address.
Starting immediately, citizenship@metis.org will be the new email address to contact our Registry Department.
We encourage you to reach out to citizenship@metis.org for any needs surrounding Métis Citizenship and the application process.
Emails sent to registry@metis.org will be redirected to the department’s inbox, but we encourage you to use our new email address to ensure timely responses and streamlined communication.
Thank you for remaining connected with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government Registry Department. We look forward to staying in touch!
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