Indigenous Politics: 2025 Federal Election Coverage #indigpoli

Indigenous Politics: 2025 Federal Election Coverage

(April 2024, Treaty 7 Territory) I do my best to cover every federal election from an Indigenous point of view. I am pleased to do my best to cover this short but lively election. Politicos always say this is the most important election. However, from my perspective, this is actually the most important election in a generation. Dealing with global turbulence brought on by the second term of President Donald Trump to issues at home from inflation, cost of living and housing, to the needs of First Nations and Indigenous people from Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast, many important matters impact our people. 

I am partisan in my own beliefs, but when it comes to party Leaders and party platforms, statements and policy announcements to looking at the ridings (electoral districts) that have the largest Indigenous populations, I try my best to cover it all. For now, I will cover known Indigenous candidates from each party, what the riding looks like in terms of an Indigenous (First Nation, Inuit & Métis) population and other related information in the 338 electoral districts. 

I will do my best to share more information about each Indigenous candidate, but it will take a while. Right now, I am keeping up with finding the candidates (with special thanks to all those individuals and organizations who provided tips). 

UPDATE April 5, 2025

There are 29 Indigenous Candidates for the 2025 Canada Federal Election. As the parties are working hard to fill their 338 slates, more Indigenous candidates may be out there. (Please let us know). Here is the breakdown:

18 First Nation | 8 Métis | 3 Inuit

11 Liberals | 5 Conservative | 12 NDP | 1 Bloc

7 Incuments | 22 New Candidates

Feel free to share, and if you are a news agency or news organization, please acknowledge: Indigenous Politics (@indigpoli)

#indigcand2025 #indigenouscandidate #Indigpoli #cdnpoli

#canadaelection2025 #indigenous #Elxn45 #elxn2025

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO MAKE IT BIGGER

_________________________________________________________________

INDIGENOUS CANDIDATES

Here is a sample of the profiles, more to come of the Indigenous Candidates of our list that is updated regularly. 

WEBSITE

Grand Chief Mandy Gull-Masty was the first female Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) in the James Bay Region of Quebec. Her home community is Waswanipi. Chief Mandy has served her home community as well as the Grand Council of Cree in several roles. Before her roles with the Cree government, she was a successful entrepreneur and businesswoman. Mandy successfully pursued an educational path that included a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Sciences and another in Public Affairs and Policy Studies from Concordia’s School of Community and Public Affairs. 

She is running in the Northern Quebec riding of Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou which has several Cree communities, further north is the Inuit homeland of Nunavik where several towns and villages that Inuit people call home. NDP MP Romeo Saganash was the MP for the riding for two terms. 

WEBSITE

Former Chief Bill Morin was a Councillor and then Chief of the Enoch Cree Nation, he was the youngest Chief in the history of the Nation. He has several accomplishments through his terms on the Enoch Band Council including including his leadership in securing funding of 1.5 Billion for a Natural Gas Plant and creating the first urban reserve in Edmonton. He also worked in the Government in the City of Edmonton and the Province of Alberta. He is a graduate of the Civil Engineering Technology and Bachelor of Technology Management programs at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). He also holds an Honourary Bachelor of Business Administration degree from NAIT. 

He is running in the riding of Edmonton Northwest in the City of Edmonton, Alberta. According to the 2021 Census (Wikipedia), the Indigenous population in the riding is 5.5%. 

WEBSITE

Blake Desjarlais is Cree-Métis from Fishing Lake Metis Settlement in Alberta. He is the first Two-Spirit person ever elected to the House of Commons as per current information. Blake has served as the NDP’s Critic for Indigenous Housing, International Trade, Diversity & Inclusion, Youth, and Sport. He was part of the NDP’s negotiation team for the 2022-2024 Supply and Confidence Agreement between the NDP Opposition and the Liberal government. He is also the inaugural co-chair of the Canadian Pride Caucus, a multi-partisan group of 2SLGBTQIA+ MPs and Senators in Parliament. As a university student, Desjarlais was involved in student politics and served as firekeeper of the Native Student Union (NSU). When Desjarlais completed his studies, he was appointed the national director of the Métis Settlements General Council in 2016. 

Blake Desjarlais is the incumbent Member of Parliament for Edmonton Griesbach, he flipped the riding from Conservative to NDP taking 40.5% of the vote in 2021. 

_________________________________________________________________

MORE INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS TO COME