In Memory of Patricia Russell
Posted on: Aug 05, 2026
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Patricia Russell, a beloved Métis author, storyteller, and respected community member, on July 28, 2026.
Patricia was a proud descendant of the Ladouceur and Sanderson Métis families of Lac La Biche, Fort Chipewyan, and Fort Fitzgerald, Alberta, and of Fort Smith, Fort Resolution, and Hay River, Northwest Territories. She dedicated her life to celebrating, preserving, and sharing Métis stories, culture, and history.
Using her background in broadcast journalism and photography, Patricia was instrumental in developing, writing, and publishing the first and subsequent editions of the magazine Otipemisiwak during her time as Communications Manager with the Métis Nation of Alberta. Within this role, she dedicated herself to ensuring our community remained informed on critical issues facing Métis people in Alberta. She took the lead on hosting community meetings following the R. v. Powley Supreme Court ruling, facilitating important discussions on Métis harvesting rights. These gatherings laid the groundwork for what became the interim Harvesting Agreement in 2004, a testament to her commitment and leadership to her community.
Patricia also co-authored the book The True Canadians: Forgotten Nevermore, continuing her ongoing work sharing the unique stories and history of Métis people in Alberta. The book describes the rise of the Métis Nation of Alberta since its founding in 1928 and documents the growth of the Métis Nation within Alberta leading up to the 2022 Constitution ratification vote.
In her own words, Patricia said about the book:
“The True Canadians is an account of our Métis Nation’s deep and longstanding connection to the west. We can proudly trace our Métis families back to the fur trade of the 1700s when our traditional homeland extended from the Great Lakes, across the prairies to Rocky Mountains, into the Northwest Territories, and even south of the American border, long before the Dominion of Canada existed.”
She will be remembered by the Métis community as a passionate storyteller, a community advocate, and a wonderful friend. Her warmth, humour, and genuine interest in others left a lasting impression on all those who were lucky enough to meet her. A proud mother, nanny, sister, and, auntie, she will be dearly missed by all who knew her.