Sheila North

Sheila North is a Cree leader and journalist, who formerly served as Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.[1]

North in 2022

North is originally from Bunibonibee Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba.[2] As a teenager, she moved to Winnipeg to attend Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute, before graduating from Red River College in 2006 with a degree in communications.[3] She then worked as a journalist for CBC News and CTV News.[4] She was nominated for a Gemini Award in 2010.[5] In 2012, she helped coin the hashtag #MMIW, for missing and murdered indigenous women, while working for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs.[6] She was involved in English-to-Cree translation for the 2012 documentary We Were Children.[7]

In 2015, she became Grand Chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, the first woman to hold the position.[8] She was named one of Chatelaine’s top 30 women of 2015.[9] In November 2016, she appealed to federal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to accept an invitation to visit Shamattawa First Nation after a fire destroyed the only grocery store in the nation.[10] In 2017, she addressed the federal parliament's Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee over the country's failure to compensate First Nations for hydropower development, as was agreed in the Northern Flood Agreement.[11]

After her term ended, she contested the 2018 Assembly of First Nations leadership election, finishing as runner up to incumbent Perry Bellegarde with 23,9% of the second ballot vote.[12]

In 2021, she announced she would be running to lead the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, aiming to become the first woman in history to become AMC Grand Chief.[13]

References
  1. "Manitoba government most racist in Canada, says Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson". Global News. 2017-04-12. Retrieved 2021-05-18 – via The Canadian Press.
  2. Malone, Kelly Geraldine (Oct 16, 2020). "First Nations elder alleges she was questioned about alcohol use in Winnipeg hospital". thestar.com. Retrieved 2021-05-18 – via The Canadian Press.
  3. "RRC grad Sheila North to lead UCN's new Centre for Indigenous Community Development". rrc.ca. Red River College. 2018-09-19. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  4. "Sheila North – From CBC Reporter to Grand Chief of MKO". saymag.com. 2018-04-20. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  5. Rice, Waubgeshig (2010-09-19). "Aboriginal Nominees for Gemini Awards in Canadian TV excellence". mediaindigena.com. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  6. Baum, Kathryn Blaze (2016-01-03). "Political activism on behalf of indigenous women rooted in chief's frightening personal experience". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  7. North Wilson, Sheila (2 February 2012). "Behind the scenes of made in Manitoba docudrama "We Were Children"". CBC Manitoba Scene. CBC News. Archived from the original on 2017-10-13. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  8. Sterritt, Angela (2015-09-02). "Sheila North Wilson humbled, elated after MKO grand chief win". cbc.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  9. "MKO Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson named one of Chatelaine's 30 women of the year". cbc.ca. 2015-12-28. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  10. Puxley, Chinta (Nov 15, 2016). "Remote northern Manitoba reserve in crisis after fire, suicides: chief". CTVNews.
  11. "Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson at the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee". openparliament.ca. 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  12. Hoye, Bryce (2018-05-02). "MKO Grand Chief Sheila North to run for leadership of Assembly of First Nations". cbc.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  13. "Sheila North makes bid to lead Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs". cbc.ca. 2021-05-14. Retrieved 2021-05-18.


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