Andrea Sandmaier
President
Métis Nation of Alberta
Audrey Poitras, PRESIDENT
Métis Nation of Alberta
Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) President, Audrey Poitras is one of the highest profile Métis women in Canada. Audrey was elected as the first female President in 1996, becoming the longest-serving President of the MNA. This is a strong statement that displays the trust and leadership she has gained. Audrey has been a strong advocate for Métis rights and will continue to move the Métis rights agenda forward with the help of the Daniels Supreme Court decision in 2016. President Poitras successfully negotiated partnerships with colleges and universities, for Métis Endowment funds of over 30 million. She also oversaw the creation of the MNA’s Rupertsland Institute, Métis Centre of Excellence, which is a unique partnership with the University of Alberta promoting education, training and Research.
Audrey is recognized within Alberta as a leader who is committed to helping build a better economic future for the Métis Nation. She has been supportive in developing business relationships, which has included the establishment of a business vendor database that has helped open doors for Indigenous people’s involvement in the natural resource sector.
Through her leadership, Audrey has been honoured with numerous awards and recognitions, including receiving the National Indigenous Achievement Award, being selected as Alberta Chamber of Resources Indigenous Leader of the Year, being named in CBC’s The Alberta 100, and Alberta’s 50 most influential people by Alberta Venture magazine in 2005.
One of Audrey’s greatest achievements, in the preservation of Métis culture, history and language was the creation of Métis Crossing, a multi-million dollar cultural interpretive site, along the banks of the North Saskatchewan River near Smoky Lake, Alberta. Métis Crossing has proved to be not only a smart business choice, but one that will remain for a long time to come.
Under her leadership, the MNA continues to be a model of success in representing and pursuing the social, political, and economic interests of the Métis people in Alberta. Following the signing of the MOU with Canada in January 2017, the MNA signed a historic framework agreement with the Government of Canada on November 16, 2017, that will provide a strong focus on Métis rights, accommodation and self-governance. On June 27, 2019, after more than 90 years of perseverance and struggle, the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) signed the first ever Metis recognition and self-government agreement with the Government of Canada. The signing of the historic Agreement brings the MNA one step closer to its long-standing goal: a Metis Nation Constitution embracing Métis rights and celebrating Métis culture.
The credibility of the MNA continues to increase, as evidenced by activities over the past 26 years with Audrey Poitras at the helm, where the legitimacy and accountability of the MNA has risen to unprecedented heights.
Métis Nation of Alberta
Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) President, Audrey Poitras is one of the highest profile Métis women in Canada. Audrey was elected as the first female President in 1996, becoming the longest-serving President of the MNA. This is a strong statement that displays the trust and leadership she has gained. Audrey has been a strong advocate for Métis rights and will continue to move the Métis rights agenda forward with the help of the Daniels Supreme Court decision in 2016. President Poitras successfully negotiated partnerships with colleges and universities, for Métis Endowment funds of over 30 million. She also oversaw the creation of the MNA’s Rupertsland Institute, Métis Centre of Excellence, which is a unique partnership with the University of Alberta promoting education, training and Research.
Audrey is recognized within Alberta as a leader who is committed to helping build a better economic future for the Métis Nation. She has been supportive in developing business relationships, which has included the establishment of a business vendor database that has helped open doors for Indigenous people’s involvement in the natural resource sector.
Through her leadership, Audrey has been honoured with numerous awards and recognitions, including receiving the National Indigenous Achievement Award, being selected as Alberta Chamber of Resources Indigenous Leader of the Year, being named in CBC’s The Alberta 100, and Alberta’s 50 most influential people by Alberta Venture magazine in 2005.
One of Audrey’s greatest achievements, in the preservation of Métis culture, history and language was the creation of Métis Crossing, a multi-million dollar cultural interpretive site, along the banks of the North Saskatchewan River near Smoky Lake, Alberta. Métis Crossing has proved to be not only a smart business choice, but one that will remain for a long time to come.
Under her leadership, the MNA continues to be a model of success in representing and pursuing the social, political, and economic interests of the Métis people in Alberta. Following the signing of the MOU with Canada in January 2017, the MNA signed a historic framework agreement with the Government of Canada on November 16, 2017, that will provide a strong focus on Métis rights, accommodation and self-governance. On June 27, 2019, after more than 90 years of perseverance and struggle, the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA) signed the first ever Metis recognition and self-government agreement with the Government of Canada. The signing of the historic Agreement brings the MNA one step closer to its long-standing goal: a Metis Nation Constitution embracing Métis rights and celebrating Métis culture.
The credibility of the MNA continues to increase, as evidenced by activities over the past 26 years with Audrey Poitras at the helm, where the legitimacy and accountability of the MNA has risen to unprecedented heights.