Dr. Bill Waiser, Sherry Ann McLennan (MN-S), Mayor Greg Dionne, Elder Effie Kusnir and Calvert Martin (Parks Canada) with a plaque honouring James Isbister, who founded Prince Albert. (Susan McNeil/paNOW Staff)

By Susan McNeil

James Isbister plaque

Founding father gets plaque at Museum

Nov 22, 2022 | 5:00 PM

James Isbister was a farmer, an English Métis leader, a Hudson Bay Company employee and the founder of Prince Albert.

Honouring his role in the creation of the city along with his standing amongst the Métis people was supported wholeheartedly by Sherry McLennan of the MN-S in Prince Albert.

“Knowing that it was a Métis person that came here and started Prince Albert and right in the heart of where I live, it makes me very proud,” she said.

Along with farming in the area, Isbister was one of four Métis delegates to convince Louis Riel to come back to Canada and lead the Métis protest movement.

While he supported the cause, Isbister was not part of the armed resistance led out of Batoche.

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Isbister’s descendants were part of the discussion when Parks Canada decided a plaque was needed.

“Today is an important day. We’re honouring James Isbister, a prominent leader in the Métis, who actually was the first person in Prince Albert,” McLennan said.

Calvert Martin from Parks Canada, said the federal government manages multiple sites that are very important to Indigenous Canadian history, including Batoche.

“These iconic sites play an important role in commemorating historic and contemporary Métis resilience, pride, language and cultural traditions,” Martin said to a small group of local representatives at the unveiling of the plaque at the Prince Albert museum on Tuesday.

The public will be able to view the plaque following another event on Friday with the opening of the “Kistapinânihk/Omaniciye Makoca/Tł’ogh tëlë/The Gathering Place” exhibit.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com