Sheila North

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North in 2022 Sheila North (52164123350) (cropped).jpg
North in 2022

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

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]

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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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. "Sheila North – From CBC Reporter to Grand Chief of MKO". saymag.com. 2018-04-20. Retrieved 2021-05-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. Rice, Waubgeshig (2010-09-19). "Aboriginal Nominees for Gemini Awards in Canadian TV excellence". mediaindigena.com. Retrieved 2021-05-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  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.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. "Sheila North makes bid to lead Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs". cbc.ca. 2021-05-14. Retrieved 2021-05-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)