President's Corner: November 1, 2025
Posted on: Oct 30, 2025
As the harvest season winds down and winter settles over the land, I’ve been thinking about what this time of year means for our people. For generations, Métis families have faced the turning of the seasons with the same resolve of work hard, taking care of one another, and never forgetting where you come from. That spirit is what has carried us through every hardship from the early days of our Nation to the work we’re doing now to build a future rooted in self-government and pride.
November is also a time of remembrance. On November 8, we mark Indigenous Veterans Day, followed by Remembrance Day on November 11. These are days when we pause to honour those who put on a uniform and served this country, even when that country did not serve them in return.
For too long, the sacrifices of Indigenous soldiers, including so many Métis men and women, went unseen. They fought with courage overseas, only to come home to broken promises and closed doors. They weren’t given the same benefits or land as other veterans. They were told they were equal in war, but reminded they were not equal in peace.
One of those soldiers was Henry Louis Norwest, a Métis sharpshooter from Fort Saskatchewan. During the First World War, he became one of Canada’s most legendary snipers, with 115 confirmed kills and a reputation for patience, skill, and calm under fire. He earned the Military Medal for bravery before he was killed three months before the war ended.
Norwest gave his life in service to a country that barely knew his name. But we know it. And we honour him and those like him, not just as a soldier, but as a Métis man who carried the pride and discipline of his people into one of the darkest chapters of history.
When we talk about healing our past and celebrating our future, it’s people like Norwest we remember. It’s the quiet strength of those who kept our Nation alive when no one else would. It’s the families who built community out of hardship, who taught their children that dignity doesn’t depend on recognition, and that courage isn’t something you’re given, it’s something you choose.
This month also brings Métis Week and Louis Riel Day, a time to remember that our fight for recognition didn’t end with the war, and it didn’t end with Riel. His dream of a self-governing Métis Nation lives in each of us. It lives in our language, music, self-government, and our unshakable belief that Métis people deserve to stand as equals in this country we helped build.
So as the snow begins to fall and the fields grow quiet, I encourage you to take this time to reflect and to give thanks for our veterans, our harvesters, and for every Citizen who keeps this Nation moving forward.
Marsii,
Andrea Sandmaier President,
Otipemisiwak Métis Government