President's Corner: November 15, 2025
Posted on: Nov 14, 2025
This weekend, Métis people across Alberta and the Homeland will gather to honour one of the greatest leaders in our history, Louis Riel.
Riel dreamed of a Nation that governed itself, where Métis people would stand proudly in our identity, care for one another, and be recognized as a distinct Indigenous people with inherent rights. That dream cost him his life. But nearly 140 years later, his vision lives on in our communities, our government, and in every Citizen who continues to move our Nation forward.
Métis Week begins this Saturday with the annual Louis Riel Walk, as Citizens gather to honour Riel’s courage and the enduring strength of our Nation. On Sunday, November 16, we will come together once again for the Louis Riel Commemorative Ceremony at the Alberta Legislature, marking the official start of Métis Week. For generations, Métis voices and perspectives were left out of decisions made about our rights, and our future. To now stand within that space, recognized as a government in our own right, is powerful. It shows how far we’ve come, and how much more we can accomplish when we stand united as Otipemisiwak, the people who govern themselves.
Across Alberta, there will be events, flag raisings, and community gathering, including the Métis Market on Saturday, November 15, where Citizens and visitors can enjoy local vendors, artisans, and traditional foods. I encourage everyone to attend something close to home and take time to celebrate who we are as Métis people.
Later in the week, we’ll celebrate the Delia Gray Gala, a night dedicated to our students. The Gala is all about awarding scholarships to Métis learners and investing directly in their education and success. These scholarships help remove barriers, open doors to new opportunities, and lift up the next generation of Métis leaders. Delia Gray believed in young people and in the power of education to change lives. Every scholarship awarded in her name carries that belief forward.
From the Legislature to the local halls to family homes, this week is a celebration of everything it means to be Métis. We are a people of resilience and resistance, of joy and generosity. We have faced centuries of challenges and continue to build a future rooted in pride, self-determination, and the dreams of those who came before us.
As your President, I am proud to walk beside you in this. I believe that together we are not just honouring Riel’s vision, we are living it.
Andrea Sandmaier
President, Otipemisiwak Métis Government