Michelle Leclair. (Submitted)

By Nigel Maxwell

Finding common ground

Saskatoon lawyer sets sights on vice-president of MN-S

May 12, 2021 | 10:00 AM

A former speaker of the house for the Métis Nation legislative assembly, as well as a former area director in northern Saskatchewan, is campaigning on a promise to unite the people.

Michelle Leclair is one of five candidates vying for the job of vice-president in the upcoming Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S) election. Explaining locals are feeling disenfranchised, Leclair said the way to help people feel more involved is through good governance.

“What I see happening is a top down approach and the MN-S never has had a top down approach. It should always come from the community first and the voices are our people and that’s what guides us politically,” she said.

In addition to revisiting what she termed a “flawed” self-government agreement, Leclair said another priority for her is creating a strategic plan address issues related to child and family services, housing and economic development.

“If we build that capacity in the community then you are going to see voices are going to become closer and closer,” she said.

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Leclair, who graduated from law school at the University of Saskatchewan, received the President’s Recognition Award from the Métis National Council in March, 2020. The award recognized her pro bono services promoting Métis Nation rights. The R. V. Belhumeur court case in 2007 paved the way for Métis rights in the Fort Qu’appelle and Regina areas.

Leclair also believes her experience with the legislative assembly will assist her in serving the needs of Métis people in the province.

“Being a speaker of the house teaches you to hear what people are saying and to be able to act on that fairly,” she said. “Regardless of whether or not people vote for me or agree with me I will still represent that person and we are not seeing that in our nation right now,” she said.

The MN-S election has been scheduled for May 29.

The other vice president candidates are Darren Deschambeault, Dale McAuley, Gerald Morin and Darrel Bournouf.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @NigelMaxwell