Manitoba premier-elect Wab Kinew made history on Tuesday, becoming the first First Nations premier of a province. That accomplishment is being celebrated by a Saskatchewan MLA for what it could mean for the future.
Betty Nippi-Albright, the NDP MLA for Saskatoon Centre, was watching election results closely.
“I was on my seat and thought, could it, could it be, could it be? Is it possible? And yes, it is possible. I was emotional and I thought, wow this is historic,” she said.
Nippi-Albright is from the Kinistin Saulteaux Nation and is of Saulteaux and Cree ancestry.
“I’m proud to see another Anishinaabe person in these roles and as a mother and a grandmother. It gives me hope that maybe the next province will be Saskatchewan, following the footsteps of Manitoba,” she said.
“It is phenomenal that the citizens of Manitoba said ‘OK, we’re ready for this kind of change.'”
Nippi-Albright is one of few Indigenous MLAs in Saskatchewan. She said Manitoba is leading the way on reconciliation through Kinew’s win and the number of Indigenous MLAs who were elected.
“We talk about reconciliation. They’re walking it. They’re not just giving lip service to it, they’re walking it. The rest of Canada must pay attention to this and put Indigenous people in those places because it’s time.”
(Jason Warick/CBC)
Saskatchewan Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck said she hopes the Manitoba result will create traction and excitement for her party heading into next fall’s election.
“I feel the energy and the positivity coming from Manitoba and you know that’s given us some momentum here.”
Beck said the Saskatchewan and Manitoba NDP share some similarities on issues.
“I think the message of hope, the message of connecting with the issues that really matter to people.”
Premier Scott Moe congratulated Kinew on his victory and thanked outgoing Premier Heather Stefanson for her work.
Moe said it is past time a First Nations person led a province.
“I’d say it’s about time,” Moe said, calling it something “the whole nation should most certainly identify with.”
Moe said that although he doesn’t align with Wab Kinew and his party politically, he looks forward to working on shared goals.
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Columnist says Kinew’s win ‘more than just history’
Doug Cuthand is columnist with the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix and a Little Pine First Nation member. He said Kinew, “ran as a politician who is the leader of a party. He didn’t run as an Indian politician or an Indigenous politician. So there’s a big difference.”
Cuthand said Kinew’s win is transformational.
“I think we’re seeing more than just history, we’re seeing something in the future here where our people are starting to emerge and take a rightful place in politics, in industry and in everything,” Cuthand said.
Cuthand said Kinew’s opponents used poor tactics.
“The Conservatives in the province tried a little bit of racism against him, and identity politics and this type
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