President's Corner: April 3, 2026
Posted on: Apr 02, 2026
As we move into the spring season and the weather gets warmer, I want to take a moment to reflect on what this time of year represents for the Métis Nation within Alberta.
Spring is a time of renewal. When the land begins to wake, families gather outside, and we look ahead with hope. For those celebrating Easter this weekend, I extend my warmest wishes to you and your loved ones. May this season bring you peace, connection, and renewal.
This spirit of renewal is reflected in the work we continue to do together as a government.
This week, we were proud to announce the renewal of our partnership with Parks Canada, ensuring that our Citizens can continue to access national parks and historic sites within Alberta at no cost.
This is about more than access. It is about connection.
Our Citizens have deep, ancestral ties to these lands. Long before boundaries were drawn, Métis families lived, travelled, harvested, and built community across places like the Athabasca Valley, and what is now Jasper National Park. Those connections did not disappear, but for too long, access to those spaces became a barrier.
Renewing this agreement is one way we continue to assert what Métis people have always known — reconciliation must include real access to our homelands. It must include the ability for our families to return to these places, to share them with our children, and to carry forward our history on the land.
I’m also excited to say that the new Park Pass includes beautiful custom artwork from five Alberta Métis artists, including the design by Krista Leddy and beadwork by Maddison Post, Morgan Johnson, Elena Mercuri, and Sarah Olsen.
This is a clear example of what we can achieve when we assert our rights and work collaboratively with federal partners.
So, I am glad to say that as we’re celebrating the weather getting warmer, and for some, Easter, we can continue visiting our ancestorial lands free of cost.
I encourage all of you, in the weeks ahead, to take time with your families, to visit National Parks in Alberta, and to reflect on our shared history and connection.
The fastest way for Métis Citizens aged 16 and older to receive a Park Pass hanger is by completing an online application. You can learn more by visiting: MNA Parks Pass – Otipemisiwak Métis Government
Citizens without a pass can still present their Citizenship Card for free daily entry.
As the weather warms, I hope you enjoy time spent on the land, as we have during our shared history to reconnect with family and community.
President Andrea Sandmaier,
Otipemisiwak Métis Government