A Christmas Message from
President Melanie Omeniho, the Board of Directors, and the LFMO Team
President Melanie Omeniho along with the Board of Directors, Knowledge Keepers and the LFMO Team want to send each of you a very special blessing during this winter holiday season. We recognize that this is the time of year that we all take stock of what losses and gains we had over the past year. We spend time sharing our gratitude for the blessings we receive but we also share compassion for those that lost loved ones and suffered harm by circumstances in their lives.
Please know as we send our blessings to each of you that we are praying that all who read this will take the time to love themselves and each other during the holiday season. It truly is a time of giving, sharing and honouring those that are around us. We hope that your time is spent creating memories, sharing laughter and delicious food.
We also know that not everyone has the good fortune of having family and resources for the holidays and let us recognize that the kindness and generosity of caring does not require wealth. Laughter is free, hugs are free, sharing stories are free, smiles are free and most importantly – kindness is free. Please be kind with each other and pray that everyone finds the spirit of Christmas at this magical time.
Manitô Oķîsiķâw, Li Zhoor di Nowel.
May your holidays be filled with light, laughter, and love.
President Melanie Omeniho, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
King Charles III Coronation Medals
During our holiday gathering we took the time to award our last six remaining Kings Coronation medals. Their achievements reminded us that courage and compassion are timeless gifts. Not everyone could join us in person, but we are more than pleased to honour and recognize all their contributions to advancing Métis issues.
The distinguished recipients are:
1. Murleen Crossen
2. Tracy L. Friedel
3. Jeannine Carriere
4. Leah Dorion
5.Christine Welsh
6. Marilyn Lizee
Dr. Tracy L. Fridel was presented a medal for her work in education and Murleen Crossen was presented a medal for her work in community service and philanthropy.
Ms. Christine Welsh
Arts and Media Christine Welsh is Métis with roots in the historic Red River Settlement and the Qu’Appelle Valley of southern Saskatchewan. For more than thirty years, Christine has been producing, writing and directing documentary films that give voice to the historical and contemporary experience of Indigenous women in Canada. Her films include Women in the Shadows (1991), Keepers of the Fire (1994), The Story of the Coast Salish Knitters (2000), and the NFB feature documentary Finding Dawn (NFB 2006), one of the earliest calls to action on the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada.Ms. Welsh’s 1995 film, Kuper Island: Return to the Healing Circle, featured some of the first public testimony from survivors of Canada’s Indian residential school system and is now part of the permanent archive of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Christine’s most recent film is Lii Michif Niiyanaan: We Are Métis, a love letter to the courage, determination and resilience of the Métis nation.Her films have been broadcast nationally on CBC, CTV and APTN, and have been featured at major film festivals in Canada, the U.S., France, Australia and New Zealand as well as the 51st United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York. In 2009 her body of work was honored with WIFTV Artistic Achievement Award for filmmaking excellence in telling women’s stories. She is also an Associate Professor Emerita (Gender Studies) at the University of Victoria.
Dr. Jeanine Carriere
Social Sciences and Humanities
A Métis woman, and a Sixties Scoop survivor, Dr. Carriere is in St. Adolphe Manitoba. Throughout her career in social work, she worked for over 35 years in Indigenous Child and Family Services and has been teaching social work since 1994 in Alberta and at the University of Victoria in the School of Social Work since 2005. Her research interests include Métis children’s identity and needs for cultural safety in kinship care, adoptions and child welfare services.
Dr. Carriere has conducted several research projects related to her research interests with several journal and book publications including a co-edited book, Calling Our Families Home: Métis Peoples’ Experiences with Child Welfare (2017) which is the first book on Métis child welfare in Canada and on the production team for the documentary, Lii Michif Niiyanaan: we are Métis (2023).
She has received several grants and awards including the University of Victoria Provost’s Advocacy and Activism Award for her work with Métis and First Nation People. However, she feels that her biggest accomplishments have been as a mother, grandmother, daughter, and sister who has been blessed to give back to the great Métis Nation for future generations.
Ms. Leah Dorion
Arts and Media
Leah Marie Dorion is a Métis writer, visual artist, and educator who lives near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. She is well known for her vibrant artwork and for her children’s books that share Métis culture and teachings. Many of her published works are available through Gabriel Dumont Press and Strong Nations Publishing.
Raised in a Métis community near Prince Albert, Leah works across many creative disciplines. She is a teacher, painter, filmmaker, and author, and she often describes her heritage as a bridge that helps connect people and knowledge. Much of her artwork celebrates the strength, resilience, and generosity of Indigenous women and families, reflecting her deep respect for the sacred roles women hold in passing teachings to future generations.
Leah holds a Bachelor of Education, a Bachelor of Arts, and a Master of Arts degree. Her career includes academic contributions to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, a wide range of children’s books, numerous gallery exhibitions, and video documentaries that highlight Métis culture, history, and women’s stories. Her paintings honour the spiritual power of the feminine and the important role women play as the first teachers.
Leah’s artwork has reached new audiences through Oscardo Gifts, which features her designs on a variety of products. In 2024, her fabric line “Strong Earth Woman” was released, marking her first step into textile design. She continues to explore new ways to bring Métis culture into everyday life.
In addition to her artistic and educational work, Leah has served as a mentor and lead artist for the Mann Art Gallery’s Indigenous Residency Project. She is also a proud member of CARFAC, the national organization that represents professional visual artists across Canada.
Ms. Marilyn Lizee
Community Service and Philanthropy
Marilyn Lizée is a respected Métis leader, educator, and advocate whose work has always centred on supporting Métis women, families, and communities. She believes deeply in the teachings, language, and cultural knowledge carried through women, and she has spent her life helping to ensure these teachings continue to guide the next generations.
Marilyn has been active in Métis politics and community work since before 1996. She has served as President of the New Dawn Métis Women’s Society and the Senior Cultural Chair for the Métis Nation of Alberta’s Cultural Committee. In these roles, she helped create welcoming spaces where Métis women can gather, learn from one another, and continue the cultural practices passed down through mothers, aunties, and grandmothers. Her pride in her Métis identity and her commitment to women’s leadership shape everything she does.
In her consulting work with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government (Métis Nation of Alberta), Marilyn has developed cultural training programs that introduce people to the history, strength, and resilience of Métis women and communities. She also created a Métis Elder Abuse Training Program for Elders, seniors, and caregivers, which she has delivered across the province in both Métis and First Nation communities. This work reflects her dedication to protecting Elders and honouring those who carry the most important teachings in Métis families.
Marilyn’s leadership is rooted in compassion, cultural pride, and a strong belief in the power of Métis women. She continues to share her knowledge in ways that lift her community and help keep Métis culture strong for the generations that follow.
Mrs. Murleen Crossen
Community Service and Philanthropy
Murleen Crossen was born into a proud Métis family in Edmonton and spent her early years closely connected to relatives in Lac Ste. Anne. She later moved from Edmonton to her great-grandmother’s property in Lac Ste. Anne, where she chose to raise her family and continue the strong ties her ancestors built in the community. Murleen often speaks about the influence of her father, H. Victor Letendre, whose deep commitment to community service shaped her understanding of leadership. Watching his dedication taught her that one person’s actions, grounded in kindness and responsibility, can make a lasting difference.
Over the decades, Murleen has contributed to her community in many meaningful ways. She worked as a child welfare worker, supporting families during difficult times and volunteered as a literacy helper. For twelve years, she chaired the Lac Ste. Anne Pilgrimage, playing a central role in supporting one of the region’s most important cultural and spiritual events.
Murleen also served as a Board Member and later President of Gunn Métis Local, where she supported community development and Métis cultural strength. She played an important part in assisting the Lac Ste. Anne Métis Community with their application to have their Section 35 rights credibly asserted, a significant milestone in the community’s ongoing efforts to affirm their rights and identity.
Today, Murleen continues to work alongside the Lac Ste. Anne Métis Community, dedicated to protecting the rights, well-being, and future of the generations to come.
Dr. Tracy L. Friedel
Education
Dr. Friedel is a proud âpihtawikosisânak ohci mânitow sâkahikanihk (Lac Ste. Anne Métis) and was elected in 2022 as President of the community’s representative organization, the Lac Ste. Anne Métis Community Association. From a very young age, she has enjoyed participating with her family undertaking culturally important land-based practices, such as commercial fishing, berry picking and other traditional land use activities.
Since 2017, Dr. Friedel has been an Indigenous Caucus member representing Alberta Métis on the Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee for the Trans Mountain Expansion and Existing Line (IAMC-TMX). She has served as Chair of the Socioeconomic Subcommittee since 2018 and co-Chairs the Circle on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2S+ established in 2024.
Dr. Friedel’s earlier career includes administering post-secondary programs for Indigenous women and working as a tenured Associate Professor in Indigenous Education at UBC-Vancouver and as a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Studies at Mount Royal University. In her role as Principal Applicant of CIHR grants, Tracy has led research focused on health, education, and other topics core to Indigenous well-being. She continues to mentor the next generation of Indigenous researchers in her current role as an Affiliate Associate Professor at UBC-Vancouver.
LFMO Advocacy and Engagement
Over the last few months, LFMO has led engagement in several areas across the Motherland and hosted an Indigenous women led event at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Panama.Here are highlights of our work.
Métis Women’s Environmental Leadership and Panama’s Global Biodiversity Negotiations
LFMO participated in plenary sessions, followed party negotiations, and engaged in both the Indigenous and Women’s Caucuses, where gender-based environmental concerns, safety issues, and the impacts of extractivism on women and gender-diverse people were repeatedly raised.Delegates examined how governments should operationalize these obligations, how free, prior, and informed consent must be guaranteed when traditional knowledge is used, and how Indigenous leadership will be embedded in the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The meeting marked the launch of a permanent structure dedicated entirely to Article 8(j), the section of the Convention that requires countries to respect, protect, and maintain Indigenous knowledge, ensure benefit-sharing, and include Indigenous Peoples in decision-making on conservation and land use.
As governments, Indigenous Peoples, scientists, and environmental advocates gathered in Panama for the first meeting of the new permanent body on Article 8(j) under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak played a visible role in shaping the global conversation on Indigenous knowledge and environmental governance. Participating as part of the Canadian delegation, LFMO’s Department of Environment and Climate Change contributed Métis women’s perspectives to negotiations that will determine how traditional knowledge, land stewardship, and Indigenous rights from a gender friendly lens are integrated into global biodiversity policy for years to come.
LFMO Hosts UN Side Event: Water Remembers Us: Métis Women, 2SLGBTQQIA+ People and the Living Knowledge of Land and Water
LFMO also hosted one of the conference’s most attended side events, “Water Remembers Us: Métis Women, 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, and the Living Knowledge of Land and Water.” The event brought together Métis Knowledge Holder Sharon Morin and Brazilian Indigenous leader Cristiane Pankararu to discuss the shared responsibilities of Indigenous women across the global North and South as water protectors and guardians of biodiversity.Speakers emphasized that land and water are living relatives, teachers, and ancestors whose wellbeing is inseparable from culture, identity, and future generations. They also underscored the realities of environmental racism, pollution, and industrial extraction that disproportionately harm Indigenous women and Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people, and highlighted the urgency of ensuring these voices shape the policies being negotiated in Panama.
For Métis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ citizens, the new Article 8(j) body represents a significant shift in policy. It provides a predictable, permanent forum where Métis knowledge systems, traditional land stewardship, and gender-specific environmental concerns can be brought directly into global biodiversity decision-making. It also strengthens international alliances.
LFMO’s engagement in Panama created opportunities to deepen collaboration with fellow Canadian delegates and forge stronger relationships with Indigenous leaders from Mesoamerica, Brazil, and other regions confronting similar struggles around land rights, water governance, and biodiversity loss.
As negotiations concluded, delegates reaffirmed the central role of Indigenous Peoples in achieving global biodiversity targets, clarified obligations around free, prior, and informed consent, and committed to greater inclusion of women, youth, Elders, and gender-diverse people in all biodiversity work. The outcomes signal a growing recognition that Indigenous culturally informed knowledge is essential.
For LFMO, participation in Panama advances long-standing advocacy efforts, and reinforces the organization’s role in bringing Métis women’s leadership to the international stage.
LFMO Led Emergency Preparedness Training Modules
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak wrapped up a series of national emergency preparedness engagement sessions this summer as part of the Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative, bringing together Métis women, youth, Elders, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people to discuss safety, preparedness, and culturally grounded approaches to crisis response. The sessions, hosted online were designed to gather direct community input that will now guide the development of LFMO’s forthcoming Métis-centered emergency preparedness training modules.
The next phase of this work we are developing a series of online, culturally grounded training modules that will equip Métis women and families with Métis-specific tools, scenarios, and strategies. The modules will focus on personal and family safety, community-level preparedness, emotional and cultural wellness, service navigation and advocacy, and the distinct risks created by climate change and gendered emergencies.
Reproductive Justice Research
LFMO is conducting comprehensive, community-engaged research on reproductive justice to understand the lived experiences of Métis women and gender diverse kin across the Métis Motherland. In our work, reproductive justice involves ensuring all members of our community have a right to make informed choices for their body about their reproductive health. This includes being able to make informed decisions about and to access birth control, abortion care, perimenopause and menopause care, gender affirming care, pregnancy and birthing, fertility treatments, and healthcare for chronic pelvic conditions like endometriosis and PCOS.
Reproductive justice also involves ensuring Métis women and gender diverse kin are supported with making and raising their children and families. All Métis women and gender diverse kin deserve to have a choice in their healthcare, to feel fully informed in their decision making, to make decisions without pressure, and to have their choice honoured.
Over the Fall, we held sessions in Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg and the West Coast aimed at hearing about all aspects of reproductive justice. In 2026, we have planned engagement sessions specifically with our gender diverse kin and Métis healthcare providers to understand their unique lived experience.
We have heard about negative experiences and harm that our community has faced when seeking healthcare. As well, we have heard from participants about difficulties navigating the healthcare system, not being fully informed or engaged in decision making, and an ongoing lack of Métis-specific care.
We have also heard how these gaps are more significant in rural and remote communities. We have also heard about how important it is for all aspects of reproductive healthcare to be supported by traditional knowledge and medicines, with meaningful integration of Métis-specific health knowledge, Elders, and traditions in the health system.
Fall Focus Groups Advance Early Learning for Métis Children
Métis educators, Knowledge Keepers, and early childhood practitioners gathered in several locations this Fall for two days of focused discussions on how to strengthen Métis culture, language, and identity within early learning environments. The sessions aimed to confront long-standing gaps in culturally grounded early learning and to identify practical steps to ensure Métis children see themselves reflected in their daily experiences.
The gatherings opened with teachings on Wâhkôtowin, reminding participants that kinship and relational responsibility remain central to how Métis families raise children. From there, conversations quickly moved to the realities facing families and educators: uneven access to Métis-led childcare, the scarcity of Michif language tools, and the challenges programs face in embedding cultural practices without consistent support or training.
Participants described how Métis culture often appears in small or symbolic ways in early learning spaces, but rarely with the depth or continuity needed to shape identity and belonging.
A clear message had emerged and we aim to capture these views. Métis families and educators want stronger, more consistent cultural grounding in early learning, and they need accessible resources, partnerships, and training to make that possible. LFMO plans to use the insights from the focus groups to guide its upcoming work on early learning resources, educator support, and policy recommendations.
On October 4, we attended the Sisters In Spirit Vigil on Parliament Hill, led by President Omeniho along with LFMO Elder Knowledge Keepers, staff, Metis youth and allies.
The annual gathering was particularly significant as it was the 20th anniversary of a solemn and powerful moment that reminds us much work needs to be done to eradicate violence against women, girls and gender-diverse kin.
We were joined by Bridget Tolley who leads the Families of Sisters and Spirit and has organized the event for the past 20 years. In addition, we collaborated with Native Women’s Association and Amnesty International.
The Vigil, originally founded by Bridget Tolley with the support of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, brings families, survivors, and allies together each year to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, and to call for real, lasting change.
This year’s Vigil carried a particular weight, marking two decades of collective grief, resilience, and unwavering advocacy. Youth stood shoulder to shoulder with families holding photos of their loved ones, listening to songs, words, and prayers offered in their memory. The Vigil served as a grounding ceremony and a call to action, connecting youth to the broader movement for justice and amplifying their commitment to ending violence.
LFMO Youth Summit
This past October, over 50 Métis youth from across the Motherland travelled to Ottawa for Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak’s National Métis Youth Summit. It was a enriching, intergenerational gathering led by the LFMO National Youth Council to empower future leaders. The Summit blended policy discussion on health, environment and violence prevention, that remained grounded in community, culture, and the strengths of Métis Knowledge Keepers. Youth were awarded the opportunity to learn the teachings of our Mooshums an Kookums.
A Métis Christmas Message
Last week we brought together LFMO’s Board, Knowledge Keepers, staff and some amazing allies and friends to celebrate and honour our upcoming holiday season. Christmas was and still is an important holiday for most of us. It was a season that centered around family, community, sharing, kindness and connection to Creator and Mother Earth. We acknowledge the Feast of Christmas in our Michif language by saying Li Zhoor di Nowel.We encourage all of you throughout this season to support the Elders in your life and share with your loved ones the successes and achievements of your past year but also celebrate and pass down the cultural values, teachings and stories of strength and resilience during your festival gatherings and feasts.
As we share some of our pictures from our Christmas gathering, we want to emphasize the message of unity, progress and helping those in need and embodying the spirit of giving. From our home to all of you we send special blessings.
Les Femmes Michif Otipemiswak · 404 – 275 Slater St. · Ottawa, ON K1P 5H9 · Canada
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A Christmas Message from
President Melanie Omeniho, the Board of Directors, and the LFMO Team
President Melanie Omeniho along with the Board of Directors, Knowledge Keepers and the LFMO Team want to send each of you a very special blessing during this winter holiday season. We recognize that this is the time of year that we all take stock of what losses and gains we had over the past year. We spend time sharing our gratitude for the blessings we receive but we also share compassion for those that lost loved ones and suffered harm by circumstances in their lives.
Please know as we send our blessings to each of you that we are praying that all who read this will take the time to love themselves and each other during the holiday season. It truly is a time of giving, sharing and honouring those that are around us. We hope that your time is spent creating memories, sharing laughter and delicious food.
We also know that not everyone has the good fortune of having family and resources for the holidays and let us recognize that the kindness and generosity of caring does not require wealth. Laughter is free, hugs are free, sharing stories are free, smiles are free and most importantly – kindness is free. Please be kind with each other and pray that everyone finds the spirit of Christmas at this magical time.
Manitô Oķîsiķâw, Li Zhoor di Nowel.
May your holidays be filled with light, laughter, and love.
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President Melanie Omeniho, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
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King Charles III Coronation Medals
During our holiday gathering we took the time to award our last six remaining Kings Coronation medals. Their achievements reminded us that courage and compassion are timeless gifts. Not everyone could join us in person, but we are more than pleased to honour and recognize all their contributions to advancing Métis issues.
The distinguished recipients are:
1. Murleen Crossen
2. Tracy L. Friedel
3. Jeannine Carriere
4. Leah Dorion
5.Christine Welsh
6. Marilyn Lizee
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Dr. Tracy L. Fridel was presented a medal for her work in education and Murleen Crossen was presented a medal for her work in community service and philanthropy.
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Ms. Christine Welsh
Arts and MediaChristine Welsh is Métis with roots in the historic Red River Settlement and the Qu’Appelle Valley of southern Saskatchewan. For more than thirty years, Christine has been producing, writing and directing documentary films that give voice to the historical and contemporary experience of Indigenous women in Canada. Her films include Women in the Shadows (1991), Keepers of the Fire (1994), The Story of the Coast Salish Knitters (2000), and the NFB feature documentary Finding Dawn (NFB 2006), one of the earliest calls to action on the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada.
Ms. Welsh’s 1995 film, Kuper Island: Return to the Healing Circle, featured some of the first public testimony from survivors of Canada’s Indian residential school system and is now part of the permanent archive of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Christine’s most recent film is Lii Michif Niiyanaan: We Are Métis, a love letter to the courage, determination and resilience of the Métis nation.
Her films have been broadcast nationally on CBC, CTV and APTN, and have been featured at major film festivals in Canada, the U.S., France, Australia and New Zealand as well as the 51st United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York. In 2009 her body of work was honored with WIFTV Artistic Achievement Award for filmmaking excellence in telling women’s stories. She is also an Associate Professor Emerita (Gender Studies) at the University of Victoria.
Dr. Jeanine Carriere
Social Sciences and Humanities
A Métis woman, and a Sixties Scoop survivor, Dr. Carriere is in St. Adolphe Manitoba. Throughout her career in social work, she worked for over 35 years in Indigenous Child and Family Services and has been teaching social work since 1994 in Alberta and at the University of Victoria in the School of Social Work since 2005. Her research interests include Métis children’s identity and needs for cultural safety in kinship care, adoptions and child welfare services.
Dr. Carriere has conducted several research projects related to her research interests with several journal and book publications including a co-edited book, Calling Our Families Home: Métis Peoples’ Experiences with Child Welfare (2017) which is the first book on Métis child welfare in Canada and on the production team for the documentary, Lii Michif Niiyanaan: we are Métis (2023).
She has received several grants and awards including the University of Victoria Provost’s Advocacy and Activism Award for her work with Métis and First Nation People. However, she feels that her biggest accomplishments have been as a mother, grandmother, daughter, and sister who has been blessed to give back to the great Métis Nation for future generations.
Ms. Leah Dorion
Arts and Media
Leah Marie Dorion is a Métis writer, visual artist, and educator who lives near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. She is well known for her vibrant artwork and for her children’s books that share Métis culture and teachings. Many of her published works are available through Gabriel Dumont Press and Strong Nations Publishing.
Raised in a Métis community near Prince Albert, Leah works across many creative disciplines. She is a teacher, painter, filmmaker, and author, and she often describes her heritage as a bridge that helps connect people and knowledge. Much of her artwork celebrates the strength, resilience, and generosity of Indigenous women and families, reflecting her deep respect for the sacred roles women hold in passing teachings to future generations.
Leah holds a Bachelor of Education, a Bachelor of Arts, and a Master of Arts degree. Her career includes academic contributions to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, a wide range of children’s books, numerous gallery exhibitions, and video documentaries that highlight Métis culture, history, and women’s stories. Her paintings honour the spiritual power of the feminine and the important role women play as the first teachers.
Leah’s artwork has reached new audiences through Oscardo Gifts, which features her designs on a variety of products. In 2024, her fabric line “Strong Earth Woman” was released, marking her first step into textile design. She continues to explore new ways to bring Métis culture into everyday life.
In addition to her artistic and educational work, Leah has served as a mentor and lead artist for the Mann Art Gallery’s Indigenous Residency Project. She is also a proud member of CARFAC, the national organization that represents professional visual artists across Canada.
Ms. Marilyn Lizee
Community Service and Philanthropy
Marilyn Lizée is a respected Métis leader, educator, and advocate whose work has always centred on supporting Métis women, families, and communities. She believes deeply in the teachings, language, and cultural knowledge carried through women, and she has spent her life helping to ensure these teachings continue to guide the next generations.
Marilyn has been active in Métis politics and community work since before 1996. She has served as President of the New Dawn Métis Women’s Society and the Senior Cultural Chair for the Métis Nation of Alberta’s Cultural Committee. In these roles, she helped create welcoming spaces where Métis women can gather, learn from one another, and continue the cultural practices passed down through mothers, aunties, and grandmothers. Her pride in her Métis identity and her commitment to women’s leadership shape everything she does.
In her consulting work with the Otipemisiwak Métis Government (Métis Nation of Alberta), Marilyn has developed cultural training programs that introduce people to the history, strength, and resilience of Métis women and communities. She also created a Métis Elder Abuse Training Program for Elders, seniors, and caregivers, which she has delivered across the province in both Métis and First Nation communities. This work reflects her dedication to protecting Elders and honouring those who carry the most important teachings in Métis families.
Marilyn’s leadership is rooted in compassion, cultural pride, and a strong belief in the power of Métis women. She continues to share her knowledge in ways that lift her community and help keep Métis culture strong for the generations that follow.
Mrs. Murleen Crossen
Community Service and Philanthropy
Murleen Crossen was born into a proud Métis family in Edmonton and spent her early years closely connected to relatives in Lac Ste. Anne. She later moved from Edmonton to her great-grandmother’s property in Lac Ste. Anne, where she chose to raise her family and continue the strong ties her ancestors built in the community. Murleen often speaks about the influence of her father, H. Victor Letendre, whose deep commitment to community service shaped her understanding of leadership. Watching his dedication taught her that one person’s actions, grounded in kindness and responsibility, can make a lasting difference.
Over the decades, Murleen has contributed to her community in many meaningful ways. She worked as a child welfare worker, supporting families during difficult times and volunteered as a literacy helper. For twelve years, she chaired the Lac Ste. Anne Pilgrimage, playing a central role in supporting one of the region’s most important cultural and spiritual events.
Murleen also served as a Board Member and later President of Gunn Métis Local, where she supported community development and Métis cultural strength. She played an important part in assisting the Lac Ste. Anne Métis Community with their application to have their Section 35 rights credibly asserted, a significant milestone in the community’s ongoing efforts to affirm their rights and identity.
Today, Murleen continues to work alongside the Lac Ste. Anne Métis Community, dedicated to protecting the rights, well-being, and future of the generations to come.
Dr. Tracy L. Friedel
Education
Dr. Friedel is a proud âpihtawikosisânak ohci mânitow sâkahikanihk (Lac Ste. Anne Métis) and was elected in 2022 as President of the community’s representative organization, the Lac Ste. Anne Métis Community Association. From a very young age, she has enjoyed participating with her family undertaking culturally important land-based practices, such as commercial fishing, berry picking and other traditional land use activities.
Since 2017, Dr. Friedel has been an Indigenous Caucus member representing Alberta Métis on the Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee for the Trans Mountain Expansion and Existing Line (IAMC-TMX). She has served as Chair of the Socioeconomic Subcommittee since 2018 and co-Chairs the Circle on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2S+ established in 2024.
Dr. Friedel’s earlier career includes administering post-secondary programs for Indigenous women and working as a tenured Associate Professor in Indigenous Education at UBC-Vancouver and as a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Studies at Mount Royal University. In her role as Principal Applicant of CIHR grants, Tracy has led research focused on health, education, and other topics core to Indigenous well-being. She continues to mentor the next generation of Indigenous researchers in her current role as an Affiliate Associate Professor at UBC-Vancouver.
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LFMO Advocacy and Engagement
Over the last few months, LFMO has led engagement in several areas across the Motherland and hosted an Indigenous women led event at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Panama.
Here are highlights of our work.
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Métis Women’s Environmental Leadership and Panama’s Global Biodiversity Negotiations
LFMO participated in plenary sessions, followed party negotiations, and engaged in both the Indigenous and Women’s Caucuses, where gender-based environmental concerns, safety issues, and the impacts of extractivism on women and gender-diverse people were repeatedly raised.
Delegates examined how governments should operationalize these obligations, how free, prior, and informed consent must be guaranteed when traditional knowledge is used, and how Indigenous leadership will be embedded in the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The meeting marked the launch of a permanent structure dedicated entirely to Article 8(j), the section of the Convention that requires countries to respect, protect, and maintain Indigenous knowledge, ensure benefit-sharing, and include Indigenous Peoples in decision-making on conservation and land use.
As governments, Indigenous Peoples, scientists, and environmental advocates gathered in Panama for the first meeting of the new permanent body on Article 8(j) under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak played a visible role in shaping the global conversation on Indigenous knowledge and environmental governance. Participating as part of the Canadian delegation, LFMO’s Department of Environment and Climate Change contributed Métis women’s perspectives to negotiations that will determine how traditional knowledge, land stewardship, and Indigenous rights from a gender friendly lens are integrated into global biodiversity policy for years to come.
LFMO Hosts UN Side Event: Water Remembers Us: Métis Women, 2SLGBTQQIA+ People and the Living Knowledge of Land and Water
LFMO also hosted one of the conference’s most attended side events, “Water Remembers Us: Métis Women, 2SLGBTQQIA+ People, and the Living Knowledge of Land and Water.” The event brought together Métis Knowledge Holder Sharon Morin and Brazilian Indigenous leader Cristiane Pankararu to discuss the shared responsibilities of Indigenous women across the global North and South as water protectors and guardians of biodiversity.
Speakers emphasized that land and water are living relatives, teachers, and ancestors whose wellbeing is inseparable from culture, identity, and future generations. They also underscored the realities of environmental racism, pollution, and industrial extraction that disproportionately harm Indigenous women and Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people, and highlighted the urgency of ensuring these voices shape the policies being negotiated in Panama.
For Métis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ citizens, the new Article 8(j) body represents a significant shift in policy. It provides a predictable, permanent forum where Métis knowledge systems, traditional land stewardship, and gender-specific environmental concerns can be brought directly into global biodiversity decision-making. It also strengthens international alliances.
LFMO’s engagement in Panama created opportunities to deepen collaboration with fellow Canadian delegates and forge stronger relationships with Indigenous leaders from Mesoamerica, Brazil, and other regions confronting similar struggles around land rights, water governance, and biodiversity loss.
As negotiations concluded, delegates reaffirmed the central role of Indigenous Peoples in achieving global biodiversity targets, clarified obligations around free, prior, and informed consent, and committed to greater inclusion of women, youth, Elders, and gender-diverse people in all biodiversity work. The outcomes signal a growing recognition that Indigenous culturally informed knowledge is essential.
For LFMO, participation in Panama advances long-standing advocacy efforts, and reinforces the organization’s role in bringing Métis women’s leadership to the international stage.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
LFMO Led Emergency Preparedness Training Modules
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak wrapped up a series of national emergency preparedness engagement sessions this summer as part of the Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative, bringing together Métis women, youth, Elders, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people to discuss safety, preparedness, and culturally grounded approaches to crisis response. The sessions, hosted online were designed to gather direct community input that will now guide the development of LFMO’s forthcoming Métis-centered emergency preparedness training modules.
The next phase of this work we are developing a series of online, culturally grounded training modules that will equip Métis women and families with Métis-specific tools, scenarios, and strategies. The modules will focus on personal and family safety, community-level preparedness, emotional and cultural wellness, service navigation and advocacy, and the distinct risks created by climate change and gendered emergencies.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
Reproductive Justice Research
LFMO is conducting comprehensive, community-engaged research on reproductive justice to understand the lived experiences of Métis women and gender diverse kin across the Métis Motherland. In our work, reproductive justice involves ensuring all members of our community have a right to make informed choices for their body about their reproductive health. This includes being able to make informed decisions about and to access birth control, abortion care, perimenopause and menopause care, gender affirming care, pregnancy and birthing, fertility treatments, and healthcare for chronic pelvic conditions like endometriosis and PCOS.
Reproductive justice also involves ensuring Métis women and gender diverse kin are supported with making and raising their children and families. All Métis women and gender diverse kin deserve to have a choice in their healthcare, to feel fully informed in their decision making, to make decisions without pressure, and to have their choice honoured.
Over the Fall, we held sessions in Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg and the West Coast aimed at hearing about all aspects of reproductive justice. In 2026, we have planned engagement sessions specifically with our gender diverse kin and Métis healthcare providers to understand their unique lived experience.
We have heard about negative experiences and harm that our community has faced when seeking healthcare. As well, we have heard from participants about difficulties navigating the healthcare system, not being fully informed or engaged in decision making, and an ongoing lack of Métis-specific care.
We have also heard how these gaps are more significant in rural and remote communities. We have also heard about how important it is for all aspects of reproductive healthcare to be supported by traditional knowledge and medicines, with meaningful integration of Métis-specific health knowledge, Elders, and traditions in the health system.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
Fall Focus Groups Advance Early Learning for Métis Children
Métis educators, Knowledge Keepers, and early childhood practitioners gathered in several locations this Fall for two days of focused discussions on how to strengthen Métis culture, language, and identity within early learning environments. The sessions aimed to confront long-standing gaps in culturally grounded early learning and to identify practical steps to ensure Métis children see themselves reflected in their daily experiences.
The gatherings opened with teachings on Wâhkôtowin, reminding participants that kinship and relational responsibility remain central to how Métis families raise children. From there, conversations quickly moved to the realities facing families and educators: uneven access to Métis-led childcare, the scarcity of Michif language tools, and the challenges programs face in embedding cultural practices without consistent support or training.
Participants described how Métis culture often appears in small or symbolic ways in early learning spaces, but rarely with the depth or continuity needed to shape identity and belonging.
A clear message had emerged and we aim to capture these views. Métis families and educators want stronger, more consistent cultural grounding in early learning, and they need accessible resources, partnerships, and training to make that possible. LFMO plans to use the insights from the focus groups to guide its upcoming work on early learning resources, educator support, and policy recommendations.
[if mso]>
On October 4, we attended the Sisters In Spirit Vigil on Parliament Hill, led by President Omeniho along with LFMO Elder Knowledge Keepers, staff, Metis youth and allies.
The annual gathering was particularly significant as it was the 20th anniversary of a solemn and powerful moment that reminds us much work needs to be done to eradicate violence against women, girls and gender-diverse kin.
[if mso]>
We were joined by Bridget Tolley who leads the Families of Sisters and Spirit and has organized the event for the past 20 years. In addition, we collaborated with Native Women’s Association and Amnesty International.
The Vigil, originally founded by Bridget Tolley with the support of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, brings families, survivors, and allies together each year to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, and to call for real, lasting change.
This year’s Vigil carried a particular weight, marking two decades of collective grief, resilience, and unwavering advocacy. Youth stood shoulder to shoulder with families holding photos of their loved ones, listening to songs, words, and prayers offered in their memory. The Vigil served as a grounding ceremony and a call to action, connecting youth to the broader movement for justice and amplifying their commitment to ending violence.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
LFMO Youth Summit
This past October, over 50 Métis youth from across the Motherland travelled to Ottawa for Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak’s National Métis Youth Summit. It was a enriching, intergenerational gathering led by the LFMO National Youth Council to empower future leaders. The Summit blended policy discussion on health, environment and violence prevention, that remained grounded in community, culture, and the strengths of Métis Knowledge Keepers. Youth were awarded the opportunity to learn the teachings of our Mooshums an Kookums.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
A Métis Christmas Message
Last week we brought together LFMO’s Board, Knowledge Keepers, staff and some amazing allies and friends to celebrate and honour our upcoming holiday season. Christmas was and still is an important holiday for most of us. It was a season that centered around family, community, sharing, kindness and connection to Creator and Mother Earth. We acknowledge the Feast of Christmas in our Michif language by saying Li Zhoor di Nowel.
We encourage all of you throughout this season to support the Elders in your life and share with your loved ones the successes and achievements of your past year but also celebrate and pass down the cultural values, teachings and stories of strength and resilience during your festival gatherings and feasts.
As we share some of our pictures from our Christmas gathering, we want to emphasize the message of unity, progress and helping those in need and embodying the spirit of giving. From our home to all of you we send special blessings.
NAME: ART NEWSLETTER
[if gte mso 15]>
96Youth Newsletter December 2025
[if !mso]>>
[if !gte mso 9]>Check out our first newsletter, live now!
BEGIN TEMPLATE //
[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]>
[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]>
[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]>
[if mso]>
Holiday greetings from LFMO Board of
Directors, Staff & Youth Council
As the winter season settles across the Métis Homeland and families gather close, the Board, staff, and Youth Council of Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak send our heartfelt Christmas greetings to Métis women, girls, and gender-diverse youth and to all the families who hold us together.
This time of year has always carried a special meaning for our people. It is a season of visiting, sharing meals, telling stories, and remembering the teachings passed down through our mothers, aunties, grandmothers, and matriarchs. These winter gatherings around a kitchen table, a warm stove, or a fire outside, remind us of who we are and the strength we inherit from the women who came before us. They carried our families through hardship and celebration. Their spirit continues to guide our communities.
To Métis youth, we see your kindness, your creativity, and the pride you carry in your culture. This season is a reminder that you are surrounded by community, supported by ancestors, and valued by all of us. Your voices and leadership give us hope for the future, and your commitment to culture, land,, and one another makes our Nation stronger.
As we welcome a new year, we look forward with optimism. We step into 2026 carrying our traditions, our responsibilities, and our love for one another. We renew our commitment to uplifting Métis women, supporting gender-diverse youth, strengthening families, and protecting the wellbeing of our communities.
From our families to yours, we wish you a joyful holiday, a peaceful winter season, and a new year filled with health, warmth, and connection.
Manitô Okîsikaw and may the new year bring strength, and good things for us all. The year ahead opens pathways to learn, lead, and grow.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
A Gathering of Connection and Culture: Highlights from the 2025
National Métis Youth Summit
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
From October 3–5, 2025, over 50 Métis youth from across the Motherland travelled to Ottawa for Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak’s National Métis Youth Summit. It was a vibrant, intergenerational gathering that empowered youth leaders while grounding them in community, culture, and the strengths of Métis matriarchs and Knowledge Keepers.
Guided by the LFMO National Youth Council, the Summit was intentionally youth-led, youth-driven, and culturally focused. With a theme rooted in connection, identity, and leadership, the gathering blended policy discussions, cultural teachings, hands-on connections, and powerful moments of reflection.
[if mso]>
The opening day was anchored by Elders and Knowledge Keepers, who set a tone of humility, respect, and collective purpose.
[if mso]>
Through teachings on traditional medicines, tobacco protocol, hide tanning, and community care, Elders reminded participants that Métis strength has always come from working together “in a good way.” Elders teachings remain rooted in lived experience, emphasizing that Métis ways of knowing are alive, evolving, and renewed every time community comes together.
Throughout the weekend, they remained a guiding presence, especially during Fireside Chats. Youth and Elders exchanged stories about identity, resilience, and walking in two worlds.
[if mso]>
[if gte mso 9]>
[if gte mso 9]>
Guest Speakers
The Summit also featured dynamic guest speakers who brought personal and cultural insight into the conversations unfolding. Gabrielle “Gabby” Fayant, Co-Founder of the Assembly of Seven Generations, delivered a powerful talk about reclaiming culture and building community through heart work and responsibility. She spoke openly about her own reconnection journey and inspired youth to see identity as a place of strength rather than uncertainty.
Dr. Laura Forsythe, a leading Métis scholar from the University of Winnipeg, added another layer of depth with her keynote on Métis matriarchs, resilience, and the importance of reclaiming our stories. She reminded youth that Métis women have always been intellectual leaders, decision-makers, and protectors of community, even when systems attempted to erase those truths.
Policy conversations filled the days. Youth harvested teachings about leadership, advocacy, and cultural resurgence. They explored topics such as environmental protection, reproductive justice, and mental wellness.
[if gte mso 9]>
[if mso]>
Closing Sashing Ceremony
A particularly meaningful moment unfolded during the Youth Sashing Ceremony, a practice long rooted in Métis culture. Across generations, the sash has been used to mark belonging, recognize community responsibility, and welcome individuals into new roles. Building on this tradition, the first ever LFMO youth sash was designed specifically for Métis youth. It’s woven in colours chosen to honour the vibrancy, strength, and future leadership of the next generation.
By gifting a youth-specific sash, the Summit honoured traditional sashing protocols. The ceremony served as a powerful reminder that Métis youth are wrapped in history. The colours, threads, and patterns carry stories of our ancestors. The sash binds those stories to the individual, anchoring them in culture, kinship, and future promise.
As the Summit drew to a close, the final stories were shared and the last embraces exchanged. It affirmed Métis youth lead with culture, community, and the strength of matriarchs and Elders.
[if mso]>
[if gte mso 9]>
[if gte mso 9]>
20th Anniversary: Sisters in
Spirit Vigil
[if gte mso 9]>
On October 4, youth from the Summit made their way together to Parliament Hill.
There, they joined the 20th annual Sisters in Spirit Vigil, a solemn and powerful moment that grounded the Summit in advocacy and remembrance.
[if mso]>
The Vigil, originally founded by the Native Women’s Association of Canada, brings families, survivors, and allies together each year to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, and to call for real, lasting change.
This year’s Vigil carried a particular weight, marking two decades of collective grief, resilience, and unwavering advocacy. Youth stood shoulder to shoulder with families holding photos of their loved ones, listening to songs, words, and prayers offered in their memory. The Vigil served as a grounding ceremony and a call to action, connecting youth to the broader movement for justice and amplifying their commitment to ending violence.
[if mso]>
Youth Spotlight
Kirsten Letendre Bridging Water Stewardship and Tradition
At just 25 years old, Kirsten Letendre has already become a powerful example of what it looks like when Métis knowledge, scientific training, cultural pride, and community responsibility come together. A proud seventh-generation Lac Ste. Anne Métis woman, Kirsten grew up on the lakes and rivers of her homeland, learning from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and family members who treated water not just as a resource, but as a living relative.
[if gte mso 9]>
[if gte mso 9]>
Kristen’s Foundation for Today
Those early years, spent fishing, harvesting, camping, and listening to stories about the land, laid the foundation for the work she does today.
Kirsten’s connection to water began long before she ever stepped into a university classroom. As a child, she spent countless hours on the lake with her family, learning how to read the water, how to harvest respectfully, and how to understand the rhythms of the seasons. These teachings shaped her worldview, instilling a sense of stewardship that guided her into adulthood. When she pursued her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences at MacEwan University, Kirsten carried those early teachings with her, determined to show that Indigenous knowledge and Western science do not contradict one another, they strengthen each other. She now works with a nonprofit monitoring water quality on lakes across Alberta to protect them for future generations.
As a lifelong Métis harvester, Kirsten also leads fish monitoring studies and teaches Métis families traditional fishing practices (like setting gill nets), blending Indigenous knowledge with Western science in her approach to conservation. She loves sharing the lessons passed down from her ancestors and is dedicated to keeping Métis harvesting traditions alive.
In April 2025, Kirsten was honoured with the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her outstanding contributions to water stewardship and Indigenous education. She even took on the role of co-MC at theYouth Summit, ensuring the event was welcoming and rooted in Métis culture. Kirsten’s journey, recently featured in Thrive magazine, shows how one young woman’s commitment to land and community is paving the way for future generations.
In every aspect of her work, Kirsten demonstrates that water stewardship is about the environment, family, heritage, and the future. She stands as a powerful example. who aspire to careers in science, conservation, or community leadership: proof that when we honour where we come from, we can help shape where we are going.
Youth Voices Demand Reproductive Justice. Métis youth are speaking up for reproductive justice and culturally safe healthcare. During summit dialogue on health policy, young leaders underscored the importance of self-determination over their own bodies within the current healthcare system.They discussed what culturally safe care looks like, envisioningservices that respect Métis traditions like midwifery, medicines, and ceremony.
Participants also explored how to weave traditional practices into existing frameworks, calling for more accountability in healthcare so that Métis people can receive holistic, safe, and respectful care. This dialogue made it clear that reproductive health rights are individual and community issues.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
Proposed Youth Environmental Declaration
[if mso]>
Protecting the Land, Protecting Ourselves: Shaping our First Métis Youth National Environmental Declaration. Our work with Métis youth on environmental protection began with a simple but powerful question: What does the land mean to you?
At our first engagement session, youth from across the homeland gathered to talk about the land, water, animals, and places that shaped their childhoods. They spoke about picking medicines with grandparents, learning to read the water with aunties and uncles, fishing with cousins at sunrise, and finding calm on the land during difficult times. Many shared that climate change and land loss weren’t abstract issues.
We are now entering the next phase: gathering youth feedback on the proposed declaration. This is your chance to shape a national Métis youth vision for climate action, land protection, and environmental justice.
We want your feedback: Proposed Guiding Principals
1. Governance and Participation
2. Environment, Land, Water, and Biodiversity
3. Education and Knowledge Systems
4. Health and Well-being
5. Food Sovereignty and Nutrition
6. Safety, Culture, and Spiritual Practices
7. Emergency Preparedness and Climate Resilience
8. Security and Safety
9. Economic and Livelihood
10. Infrastructure and Innovation
]]>
NAME: ART NEWSLETTER
[if gte mso 15]>
96Youth Newsletter December 2025
[if !mso]>>
[if !gte mso 9]>Check out our first newsletter, live now!
BEGIN TEMPLATE //
[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]>
[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]>
[if (gte mso 9)|(IE)]>
[if mso]>
Holiday greetings from LFMO Board of
Directors, Staff & Youth Council
As the winter season settles across the Métis Homeland and families gather close, the Board, staff, and Youth Council of Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak send our heartfelt Christmas greetings to Métis women, girls, and gender-diverse youth and to all the families who hold us together.
This time of year has always carried a special meaning for our people. It is a season of visiting, sharing meals, telling stories, and remembering the teachings passed down through our mothers, aunties, grandmothers, and matriarchs. These winter gatherings around a kitchen table, a warm stove, or a fire outside, remind us of who we are and the strength we inherit from the women who came before us. They carried our families through hardship and celebration. Their spirit continues to guide our communities.
To Métis youth, we see your kindness, your creativity, and the pride you carry in your culture. This season is a reminder that you are surrounded by community, supported by ancestors, and valued by all of us. Your voices and leadership give us hope for the future, and your commitment to culture, land,, and one another makes our Nation stronger.
As we welcome a new year, we look forward with optimism. We step into 2026 carrying our traditions, our responsibilities, and our love for one another. We renew our commitment to uplifting Métis women, supporting gender-diverse youth, strengthening families, and protecting the wellbeing of our communities.
From our families to yours, we wish you a joyful holiday, a peaceful winter season, and a new year filled with health, warmth, and connection.
Manitô Okîsikaw and may the new year bring strength, and good things for us all. The year ahead opens pathways to learn, lead, and grow.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
A Gathering of Connection and Culture: Highlights from the 2025
National Métis Youth Summit
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
From October 3–5, 2025, over 50 Métis youth from across the Motherland travelled to Ottawa for Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak’s National Métis Youth Summit. It was a vibrant, intergenerational gathering that empowered youth leaders while grounding them in community, culture, and the strengths of Métis matriarchs and Knowledge Keepers.
Guided by the LFMO National Youth Council, the Summit was intentionally youth-led, youth-driven, and culturally focused. With a theme rooted in connection, identity, and leadership, the gathering blended policy discussions, cultural teachings, hands-on connections, and powerful moments of reflection.
[if mso]>
The opening day was anchored by Elders and Knowledge Keepers, who set a tone of humility, respect, and collective purpose.
[if mso]>
Through teachings on traditional medicines, tobacco protocol, hide tanning, and community care, Elders reminded participants that Métis strength has always come from working together “in a good way.” Elders teachings remain rooted in lived experience, emphasizing that Métis ways of knowing are alive, evolving, and renewed every time community comes together.
Throughout the weekend, they remained a guiding presence, especially during Fireside Chats. Youth and Elders exchanged stories about identity, resilience, and walking in two worlds.
[if mso]>
[if gte mso 9]>
[if gte mso 9]>
Guest Speakers
The Summit also featured dynamic guest speakers who brought personal and cultural insight into the conversations unfolding. Gabrielle “Gabby” Fayant, Co-Founder of the Assembly of Seven Generations, delivered a powerful talk about reclaiming culture and building community through heart work and responsibility. She spoke openly about her own reconnection journey and inspired youth to see identity as a place of strength rather than uncertainty.
Dr. Laura Forsythe, a leading Métis scholar from the University of Winnipeg, added another layer of depth with her keynote on Métis matriarchs, resilience, and the importance of reclaiming our stories. She reminded youth that Métis women have always been intellectual leaders, decision-makers, and protectors of community, even when systems attempted to erase those truths.
Policy conversations filled the days. Youth harvested teachings about leadership, advocacy, and cultural resurgence. They explored topics such as environmental protection, reproductive justice, and mental wellness.
[if gte mso 9]>
[if mso]>
Closing Sashing Ceremony
A particularly meaningful moment unfolded during the Youth Sashing Ceremony, a practice long rooted in Métis culture. Across generations, the sash has been used to mark belonging, recognize community responsibility, and welcome individuals into new roles. Building on this tradition, the first ever LFMO youth sash was designed specifically for Métis youth. It’s woven in colours chosen to honour the vibrancy, strength, and future leadership of the next generation.
By gifting a youth-specific sash, the Summit honoured traditional sashing protocols. The ceremony served as a powerful reminder that Métis youth are wrapped in history. The colours, threads, and patterns carry stories of our ancestors. The sash binds those stories to the individual, anchoring them in culture, kinship, and future promise.
As the Summit drew to a close, the final stories were shared and the last embraces exchanged. It affirmed Métis youth lead with culture, community, and the strength of matriarchs and Elders.
[if mso]>
[if gte mso 9]>
[if gte mso 9]>
20th Anniversary: Sisters in
Spirit Vigil
[if gte mso 9]>
On October 4, youth from the Summit made their way together to Parliament Hill.
There, they joined the 20th annual Sisters in Spirit Vigil, a solemn and powerful moment that grounded the Summit in advocacy and remembrance.
[if mso]>
The Vigil, originally founded by the Native Women’s Association of Canada, brings families, survivors, and allies together each year to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, and to call for real, lasting change.
This year’s Vigil carried a particular weight, marking two decades of collective grief, resilience, and unwavering advocacy. Youth stood shoulder to shoulder with families holding photos of their loved ones, listening to songs, words, and prayers offered in their memory. The Vigil served as a grounding ceremony and a call to action, connecting youth to the broader movement for justice and amplifying their commitment to ending violence.
[if mso]>
Youth Spotlight
Kirsten Letendre Bridging Water Stewardship and Tradition
At just 25 years old, Kirsten Letendre has already become a powerful example of what it looks like when Métis knowledge, scientific training, cultural pride, and community responsibility come together. A proud seventh-generation Lac Ste. Anne Métis woman, Kirsten grew up on the lakes and rivers of her homeland, learning from Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and family members who treated water not just as a resource, but as a living relative.
[if gte mso 9]>
[if gte mso 9]>
Kristen’s Foundation for Today
Those early years, spent fishing, harvesting, camping, and listening to stories about the land, laid the foundation for the work she does today.
Kirsten’s connection to water began long before she ever stepped into a university classroom. As a child, she spent countless hours on the lake with her family, learning how to read the water, how to harvest respectfully, and how to understand the rhythms of the seasons. These teachings shaped her worldview, instilling a sense of stewardship that guided her into adulthood. When she pursued her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences at MacEwan University, Kirsten carried those early teachings with her, determined to show that Indigenous knowledge and Western science do not contradict one another, they strengthen each other. She now works with a nonprofit monitoring water quality on lakes across Alberta to protect them for future generations.
As a lifelong Métis harvester, Kirsten also leads fish monitoring studies and teaches Métis families traditional fishing practices (like setting gill nets), blending Indigenous knowledge with Western science in her approach to conservation. She loves sharing the lessons passed down from her ancestors and is dedicated to keeping Métis harvesting traditions alive.
In April 2025, Kirsten was honoured with the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her outstanding contributions to water stewardship and Indigenous education. She even took on the role of co-MC at theYouth Summit, ensuring the event was welcoming and rooted in Métis culture. Kirsten’s journey, recently featured in Thrive magazine, shows how one young woman’s commitment to land and community is paving the way for future generations.
In every aspect of her work, Kirsten demonstrates that water stewardship is about the environment, family, heritage, and the future. She stands as a powerful example. who aspire to careers in science, conservation, or community leadership: proof that when we honour where we come from, we can help shape where we are going.
Youth Voices Demand Reproductive Justice. Métis youth are speaking up for reproductive justice and culturally safe healthcare. During summit dialogue on health policy, young leaders underscored the importance of self-determination over their own bodies within the current healthcare system.They discussed what culturally safe care looks like, envisioningservices that respect Métis traditions like midwifery, medicines, and ceremony.
Participants also explored how to weave traditional practices into existing frameworks, calling for more accountability in healthcare so that Métis people can receive holistic, safe, and respectful care. This dialogue made it clear that reproductive health rights are individual and community issues.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
Proposed Youth Environmental Declaration
[if mso]>
Protecting the Land, Protecting Ourselves: Shaping our First Métis Youth National Environmental Declaration. Our work with Métis youth on environmental protection began with a simple but powerful question: What does the land mean to you?
At our first engagement session, youth from across the homeland gathered to talk about the land, water, animals, and places that shaped their childhoods. They spoke about picking medicines with grandparents, learning to read the water with aunties and uncles, fishing with cousins at sunrise, and finding calm on the land during difficult times. Many shared that climate change and land loss weren’t abstract issues.
We are now entering the next phase: gathering youth feedback on the proposed declaration. This is your chance to shape a national Métis youth vision for climate action, land protection, and environmental justice.
We want your feedback: Proposed Guiding Principals
1. Governance and Participation
2. Environment, Land, Water, and Biodiversity
3. Education and Knowledge Systems
4. Health and Well-being
5. Food Sovereignty and Nutrition
6. Safety, Culture, and Spiritual Practices
7. Emergency Preparedness and Climate Resilience
8. Security and Safety
9. Economic and Livelihood
10. Infrastructure and Innovation
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak Welcomes Approval of Federal Budget Including Women and Gender Equity Funding
November 18th, 2025, Ottawa, ON
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
Ottawa, ON – November 18, 2025 – Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO), the national voice for Métis women and gender-diverse Métis people, acknowledges the approval of the 2025 Canadian Federal Budget and welcomes the federal government’s continued commitment to advancing gender equity, strengthening safety, and improving economic and social outcomes for women and gender-diverse people.
LFMO is encouraged by the Budget’s continued commitment to through Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), including the previously announced $660.5 million over five years to support women’s economic participation and leadership, 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion, and gender-based violence prevention.
“We are pleased to see the 2025 Budget move forward and to see strong investments through WAGE reaffirmed,” said Melanie Omeniho, President of LFMO. “For Métis women and gender-diverse people, this funding represents meaningful recognition of the systemic barriers we continue to face, and it provides an important foundation to build upon.”
However, LFMO emphasizes that many critical areas still require sustained investment to close longstanding gaps and uphold Canada’s commitments to Métis women. LFMO highlights several urgent areas that require sustained attention including the implementation of Miskotahâ, 62 Métis-specific Calls for Change to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.
In its pre-budget recommendations, LMFO also emphasized support for economic and digital readiness, including AI capacity building, public safety, and expanded access to affordable housing, and advancing biodiversity and environmental resilience. These priorities are essential for creating safer communities and stronger futures across the Métis Motherland.
“These are not abstract policy goals,” Omeniho said. “They are fundamental conditions for safety, justice, equity, and opportunity for Métis women and gender-diverse people. LFMO will continue working with federal partners to ensure that the commitments in this Budget translate into real and lasting change.”
LFMO remains committed to working alongside the federal government to ensure the Budget’s commitments are implemented in ways that respect Métis rights, leadership, and priorities. Clear, accountable mechanisms must be put in place to ensure that investments are accessible to Métis women and gender-diverse people equitably and efficiently, supporting real progress across the Métis Motherland.
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak Welcomes Approval of Federal Budget Including Women and Gender Equity Funding
November 18th, 2025, Ottawa, ON
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
Ottawa, ON – November 18, 2025 – Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO), the national voice for Métis women and gender-diverse Métis people, acknowledges the approval of the 2025 Canadian Federal Budget and welcomes the federal government’s continued commitment to advancing gender equity, strengthening safety, and improving economic and social outcomes for women and gender-diverse people.
LFMO is encouraged by the Budget’s continued commitment to through Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), including the previously announced $660.5 million over five years to support women’s economic participation and leadership, 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion, and gender-based violence prevention.
“We are pleased to see the 2025 Budget move forward and to see strong investments through WAGE reaffirmed,” said Melanie Omeniho, President of LFMO. “For Métis women and gender-diverse people, this funding represents meaningful recognition of the systemic barriers we continue to face, and it provides an important foundation to build upon.”
However, LFMO emphasizes that many critical areas still require sustained investment to close longstanding gaps and uphold Canada’s commitments to Métis women. LFMO highlights several urgent areas that require sustained attention including the implementation of Miskotahâ, 62 Métis-specific Calls for Change to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people.
In its pre-budget recommendations, LMFO also emphasized support for economic and digital readiness, including AI capacity building, public safety, and expanded access to affordable housing, and advancing biodiversity and environmental resilience. These priorities are essential for creating safer communities and stronger futures across the Métis Motherland.
“These are not abstract policy goals,” Omeniho said. “They are fundamental conditions for safety, justice, equity, and opportunity for Métis women and gender-diverse people. LFMO will continue working with federal partners to ensure that the commitments in this Budget translate into real and lasting change.”
LFMO remains committed to working alongside the federal government to ensure the Budget’s commitments are implemented in ways that respect Métis rights, leadership, and priorities. Clear, accountable mechanisms must be put in place to ensure that investments are accessible to Métis women and gender-diverse people equitably and efficiently, supporting real progress across the Métis Motherland.
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak Responds to Federal Pre-Budget Announcement on Women and Gender Equity Funding
October 30, 2025, Ottawa, ON
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Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO), the national voice for Métis women and gender-diverse Métis people, welcomes the federal government’s announcement of new investments through Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) to advance gender equity and build safer, more inclusive communities. At the same time, LFMO underscores the importance of ensuring these commitments translate into predictable and sustained baseline funding, particularly for Indigenous-led organizations, to continue driving progress for Métis women and gender-diverse Métis people.
“The commitment signals that advancing gender equity remains a national priority,” said Melanie Omeniho, President of LFMO. “For Métis women and gender-diverse Métis people, who continue to face deeply rooted barriers in safety, housing, health, economic opportunity, and recognition, ongoing support is essential. As an organization grounded in policy leadership, community-driven research, and advocacy, LFMO sees stable and predictable funding as fundamental to meaningful, long-term systems change.”
The announcement includes $660.5 million over five years for priorities such as women’s economic participation and leadership, 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion, and gender-based violence prevention. These areas reflect our long-standing advocacy and represent critical components of long-term gender equity and prosperity. LFMO anticipates this funding announcement will further our work in these areas.
This investment marks progress toward greater stability, with commitments to multi-year funding for safety, inclusion, economic participation, and community wellbeing. LFMO welcomes this direction and recognizes the many partners and advocates who have worked toward this outcome.
However, cautious optimism remains warranted. While a portion of this funding is now permanent, the majority still sunsets in five years. Previous federal planning projected significant reductions without renewed funding, and although this announcement narrows that risk, it does not fully eliminate it. To sustain momentum and avoid programming gaps, ongoing, secure funding must be embedded into core departmental budgets.
“LFMO remains ready to work alongside the federal government to reduce risk to Métis communities and implement these commitments in a way that recognizes the rights, leadership, and priorities of our people,” said Omeniho. “This announcement is a positive signal, and it reflects many years of advocacy, and we must ensure these gains are built to last.”
LFMO looks forward to continued dialogue on program design, clarity on mechanisms to ensure investments reach Métis women and gender-diverse people equitably and efficiently, supporting real and lasting change.
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About LFMO:
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak is the national voice of Métis women, advocating for their rights, safety, well-being, and leadership across the Métis Motherland. LFMO ensures that Métis women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people are represented in decision-making spaces and that their voices guide the policies and initiatives that affect their lives.
Media Requests
Media contact
Lisa Pigeau
Director of Intergovernmental Relations
lisap@metiswomen.org
(613) 404-4481
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak Responds to Federal Pre-Budget Announcement on Women and Gender Equity Funding
October 30, 2025, Ottawa, ON
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Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO), the national voice for Métis women and gender-diverse Métis people, welcomes the federal government’s announcement of new investments through Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) to advance gender equity and build safer, more inclusive communities. At the same time, LFMO underscores the importance of ensuring these commitments translate into predictable and sustained baseline funding, particularly for Indigenous-led organizations, to continue driving progress for Métis women and gender-diverse Métis people.
“The commitment signals that advancing gender equity remains a national priority,” said Melanie Omeniho, President of LFMO. “For Métis women and gender-diverse Métis people, who continue to face deeply rooted barriers in safety, housing, health, economic opportunity, and recognition, ongoing support is essential. As an organization grounded in policy leadership, community-driven research, and advocacy, LFMO sees stable and predictable funding as fundamental to meaningful, long-term systems change.”
The announcement includes $660.5 million over five years for priorities such as women’s economic participation and leadership, 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion, and gender-based violence prevention. These areas reflect our long-standing advocacy and represent critical components of long-term gender equity and prosperity. LFMO anticipates this funding announcement will further our work in these areas.
This investment marks progress toward greater stability, with commitments to multi-year funding for safety, inclusion, economic participation, and community wellbeing. LFMO welcomes this direction and recognizes the many partners and advocates who have worked toward this outcome.
However, cautious optimism remains warranted. While a portion of this funding is now permanent, the majority still sunsets in five years. Previous federal planning projected significant reductions without renewed funding, and although this announcement narrows that risk, it does not fully eliminate it. To sustain momentum and avoid programming gaps, ongoing, secure funding must be embedded into core departmental budgets.
“LFMO remains ready to work alongside the federal government to reduce risk to Métis communities and implement these commitments in a way that recognizes the rights, leadership, and priorities of our people,” said Omeniho. “This announcement is a positive signal, and it reflects many years of advocacy, and we must ensure these gains are built to last.”
LFMO looks forward to continued dialogue on program design, clarity on mechanisms to ensure investments reach Métis women and gender-diverse people equitably and efficiently, supporting real and lasting change.
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About LFMO:
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak is the national voice of Métis women, advocating for their rights, safety, well-being, and leadership across the Métis Motherland. LFMO ensures that Métis women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people are represented in decision-making spaces and that their voices guide the policies and initiatives that affect their lives.
Media Requests
Media contact
Lisa Pigeau
Director of Intergovernmental Relations
lisap@metiswomen.org
(613) 404-4481
Attention Métis Érudit Indexing
Call for Submissions Fall 2025
Pawaatamihk is happy to announce a new partnership with Érudit
Érudit will provide Pawaatamihk with a platform for dissemination, preservation, and open access support, while also fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. Érudit actively works to shift the power dynamic in scholarly publishing towards a more equitable and sustainable model.
Call for Submissions Fall 2025
Pawaatamihk: Journal of Métis Thinkers is an open-access journal that is published twice a year, showcasing Métis scholars and voices across disciplines.
Attention Métis Érudit Indexing
Call for Submissions Fall 2025
Pawaatamihk is happy to announce a new partnership with Érudit
Érudit will provide Pawaatamihk with a platform for dissemination, preservation, and open access support, while also fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. Érudit actively works to shift the power dynamic in scholarly publishing towards a more equitable and sustainable model.
Call for Submissions Fall 2025
Pawaatamihk: Journal of Métis Thinkers is an open-access journal that is published twice a year, showcasing Métis scholars and voices across disciplines.
We are hosting an In-person Métis reproductive health engagement session in Saskatoon, SK, Winnipeg, MB, and Edmonton, AB.
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO)/Women of the Métis Nation is leading a 5-year project, supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), to prevent reproductive and obstetric violence and reduce the over-surveillance of Métis families by child welfare systems.
This project is community-driven, trauma- and violence-informed. By bringing together Métis youth, birthing and postpartum women, Auntie, Matriarchs, Elders and Knowledge Holders, along with health and social service providers, the project aims to develop strategies that:
Strengthen community capacity to prevent hard
Support culturally safe reproductive care
Inform policy and practice change to reduce unnecessary child welfare involvement.
Your participation in this Sharing Circle helps ensure experiences, and knowledge guide this important work.
Open to Residents of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, Saskatchewan In-Person EngagementEvent Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025
Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 p.m.
We are hosting an In-person Métis reproductive health engagement session in Saskatoon, SK, Winnipeg, MB, and Edmonton, AB.
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO)/Women of the Métis Nation is leading a 5-year project, supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), to prevent reproductive and obstetric violence and reduce the over-surveillance of Métis families by child welfare systems.
This project is community-driven, trauma- and violence-informed. By bringing together Métis youth, birthing and postpartum women, Auntie, Matriarchs, Elders and Knowledge Holders, along with health and social service providers, the project aims to develop strategies that:
Strengthen community capacity to prevent hard
Support culturally safe reproductive care
Inform policy and practice change to reduce unnecessary child welfare involvement.
Your participation in this Sharing Circle helps ensure experiences, and knowledge guide this important work.
Open to Residents of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, Saskatchewan In-Person EngagementEvent Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025
Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 p.m.
Dear Friends,
This past season has been full of powerful moments for Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO). We have been out both in Canada and on the world stage, making sure the voices of Métis women, gender-diverse people, and families are not only heard but respected and acted on. From policy tables to cultural gatherings, every step we have taken has been rooted in our traditions, values, and the lived experiences of our people.
We know political changes can bring uncertainty. Governments shift, priorities move, and too often decisions are made without us in the room. I want you to know that LFMO is not going anywhere. We will keep listening to you, responding to what matters most, and raising the issues you bring forward. The safety, wellbeing, and rights of Métis women and gender-diverse people cannot wait.
In this newsletter, you will see some of what we have been up to, including joining the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, working with partners to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, and creating spaces for cultural pride, healing, and connection. These are just some of the ways your voices are shaping our work.
As we look ahead, we will keep building on what we have started, growing the projects that are making a difference, and exploring new ways to meet the needs and hopes of Métis women and gender-diverse people. Everything we do is grounded in the strength of our history, the richness of our culture, and the determination of our people to keep moving forward together.
In friendship and solidarity,
Melanie Omeniho
President, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
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News
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Employment and Social Development Canada Report
In partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), we are proud to present our annual report in an oral format, in alignment with Métis oral tradition. This report reflects thoughtful planning and a deep commitment to honouring Métis identity, tradition, and cultural heritage. We hope this format sets a meaningful precedent for future reports, continuing to uphold the oral traditions of our ancestors.
In conversation with Gerald Gosselin, Director General of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), LFMO President Melanie Omeniho reflects on the growth and transformation of our organization over the past year. Throughout this time, LFMO has worked closely with ESDC to build a strong, collaborative, and mutually respectful relationship. This relationship is rooted in the spirit of Wahkohtowin, a Cree concept that speaks to kinship, interconnection, and our shared responsibilities to one another and the world around us.
This meaningful partnership has been instrumental in advancing our efforts to uphold the rights, safety, and self-determination of Métis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Together, we continue to foster pathways for equity, healing, and systemic change that are led by community and grounded in cultural strength.
Watch the video: https://metiswomen.org/resource/lfmo-esdc-oral-report/
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UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) 24th Session
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO) participated in the Twenty-Fourth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in New York City in April. LFMO’s presence was a powerful declaration of the strength, unity, and resolve of Métis women and gender-diverse people. We were honoured to be joined by Aluki Kotierk, Vice-Chair of the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Peoples. She has held a long standing career as an Inuk leader and politician, an advocate for the Nunavut land claims organization, and has built her career in several executive level public service roles. Elected in 2024, Kotierk is the first Inuk person from Canada to chair the UNFPII.
The UNPFII focuses on advancing the rights and well-being of Indigenous peoples worldwide. Since 2000, it has guided the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on critical issues including culture, health, education, environment and climate change, human rights, and sustainable development.
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The Forum brings together Indigenous leaders and international governments to advance Indigenous self-determination, cultural resurgence and revitalization, and land rights, grounded in the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
As part of our engagement, LFMO hosted a side event titled “Bringing UNDRIP to Life: Indigenous Women Leading the Way.” The international panel, chaired by Brenda Gunn, Professor, University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law, and scholar on UNDRIP, featured Melanie Omeniho, Gianella E. Sanchez Guimaraes (Shipibo-Konibo), Charlie Le Grice (Human Rights First), Josie Nepinak (Native Women’s Association of Canada), and Sara Omi (Women’s Movement Representative, Global Alliance of Territorial Communities). Panelists tackled urgent global challenges, addressing gender-based violence connected to extractive industries, calling for justice reform, highlighting gaps in data collection, and championing Indigenous-led, cross-border collaboration through efforts like the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Trilateral Working Group.
The session emphasized that violence against Indigenous women is global, structural, and persistent, and that UNDRIP and Canada’s United Nations Declaration Act (UNDA) are not symbolic gestures, but essential tools for dismantling colonial systems and advancing reconciliation. As one panelist noted, “International collaboration isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s necessary for Indigenous women to not just have a seat at the table, but to help build the table.”
Throughout the forum, LFMO stood alongside Indigenous women leaders and human rights advocates from around the world in calling for the full realization of Indigenous rights.
LFMO President Melanie Omeniho stated, “It’s about justice. It’s about dignity. And it’s about the right to live well, on our own terms.”
LFMO remains committed to carrying forward the unfinished work of advancing the rights and self-determination of Métis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. We look forward to continuing these conversations, and turning them into meaningful action, in the years to come.
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Two Spirit Gathering
LFMO is proud to share highlights from the mawiiyahk nakatikashoo National Métis Two Spirit Gathering in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. From June 20 to 23, mawiiyahk nakatikashoo, meaning “leave no one behind,” welcomed participants into a space of inclusion, healing, and cultural pride. Through meaningful activities rooted in Métis tradition and spiritual teachings, the gathering honoured the unique gifts and identities of Métis Two Spirit people.
The term “Two-Spirit” was created by and for Indigenous people in 1990 at the Third Annual Intertribal Native American/First Nations Gay and Lesbian Conference in Winnipeg. Though the term itself is relatively new, Two-Spirit people have always existed. Long before colonization disrupted traditional Indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality, Two-Spirit people were deeply respected for their spiritual gifts.
At the gathering, Dr. Chantal Fiola delivered a powerful and thought-provoking presentation rooted in conversations with eight 2SLGBTQQIA+ ceremonial leaders and participants from across the Motherland. Their reflections opened up critical dialogue on how to affirm and uplift queer voices within traditionally heteronormative spaces, particularly within Indigenous ceremonial spaces.
LFMO’s Two Spirit Initiatives Manager, Nic Taylor, shared key findings from recent research highlighting the experiences of 2SLGBTQQIA+ Métis people, including the impacts of gender and orientation-based violence, and opportunities for advocacy, cultural programming, and community support.
Throughout the gathering, participants engaged in activities from exploring Michif language teachings that recognize gender and sexual diversity within Métis culture, to learning about traditional tattooing as a form of medicine rooted in land, lineage, and gender expression. The event culminated in a joyful celebration of identity and self-expression at the Passion Show, featuring drag performer Riel Deadly (@RielDeadly on Instagram).
Mawiiyahk nakatikashoo marked the beginning of a powerful new chapter, the first of many gatherings that will continue to bring together Métis Two Spirit people from across the Motherland to honour their stories, celebrate their identities, and build a community grounded in pride, joy, and cultural connection.
Visit https://mawiiyahknakatikashoo.com/ to learn more about the Métis 2SLGBTQQIA+ National Committee.
Follow @mawiiyahknakatikashoo on Instagram!
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Project Updates
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MMIWG2S+ Database Project Partnership
On May 5th, 2025 (Red Dress Day), LFMO joined Pauktuutit Inuit Women, the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA), and 2 Spirits in Motion Society (2SiMS) on Parliament Hill to announce a first-of-its-kind partnership focusing on MMIWG2S+ data collection.
This partnership focuses on the creation of a comprehensive database of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada, includinginformation about cold cases that have gone unsolved for many decades. In addition to this work, LFMO is creating a Metis-specific database to track missing and murdered Metis women and girls. This work is vital in achieving justice for Metis MMIWG2S+: understanding the complex roots of this crisis helps shape better policies to protect Indigenous women.
Disaggregated data that distinguishes between Inuit, Métis, and First Nations MMIWG2S+ is essential to fully understanding the scope and complexity of this crisis. Our aim of this project is to paint a clearer picture of the realities facing Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, and guide meaningful, collaborative action to ensure their safety and well-being.
We look forward to sharing more of this work in the near future. To learn more about the project, and how you can get involved, click here: https://metiswomen.org/project/mmiwg2s-database-project-partnership/
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Sexual & Reproductive Health Info Sheets
We are pleased to share this essential resource for understanding and embracing Metis sexual and reproductive health.
From navigating menstruation to menopause, to learning how to advocate for yourself in medical environments, this resource weaves traditional knowledge with contemporary health practices to guide you in your sexual and reproductive wellness journey.
We are sincerely grateful to Grandmother Linda Boudreau-Semaganis, who shared her teachings in support of this work.
You can find the sexual and reproductive info sheets here: https://metiswomen.org/resource/sexual-and-reproductive-health-information-sheets/
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LFMO’s MIYÓYÂWIN Initiative on Métis Mental Wellness: What We Heard Report & Literature Review
You can now view the MIYÓYÂWIN Initiative on Métis Mental Wellness: What We Heard Report and Literature Review on our website.
Both the Literature Review Summary and What We Heard: Community Report Summary from LFMO’s MIYÓYÂWIN Initiative highlight the holistic understanding of Métis mental wellness, nurturing the mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of self.
Highlighting insights from participants, these reports focus on systemic barriers such as racism in healthcare, a lack of culturally safe spaces, and the absence of Métis and 2SLGBTQQIA+ care providers, and how these issues continue to limit access to meaningful support.
Together, these reports offer a vital snapshot of the current state of Métis mental wellness and the systems meant to support it. They not only reveal the gaps in services, but also offer solutions to better support Métis mental wellness.
LFMO extends deep gratitude to everyone who shared their stories. This work is a reflection of the courage, compassion, and leadership of grassroots Métis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ kin, without whom this initiative would not be possible.
Métis Mental Wellness – What We Heard Report:https://metiswomen.org/resource/lfmos-miyoyawin-initiative-on-metis-mental-wellness-2024-what-we-heard-community-report-summary/Métis Mental Wellness – Literature Review:https://metiswomen.org/resource/metis-mental-wellness-rooted-in-culture-strengthened-in-community-summary-of-key-findings-from-the-literature/Funding for this project was provided through the Mental Wellness Program by the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Indigenous Services Canada, Government of Canada.
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Announcements
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LFMO Youth Summit: October 3-5, 2025 | Ottawa, Ontario
Get ready for LFMO’s Youth Gathering!
This fall, Métis youth from across the Motherland will gather in Ottawa for LFMO’s Youth Summit, a three-day event rooted in kinship, culture, and community. The gathering will offer a culturally safe and welcoming space where Métis youth can come together to share stories, build connections, and explore solutions to the challenges facing their communities.
Shaped by the voices and leadership of LFMO’s National Youth Council, the Summit reflects months of conversation and collaboration. Discussions around identity, cultural revitalization, intergenerational knowledge, and the complexities of reconnecting to culture in today’s world have informed every aspect of the event. Youth have also engaged directly with LFMO’s health team to bring forward perspectives on Métis youth mental wellness, ensuring these themes are woven throughout the program.
Participants can expect a well-rounded and youth-led experience that includes:
Collaborative workshops and dialogue on issues such as gender-based violence, climate justice, and Métis identity;
Opportunities to learn from Elders and Knowledge Keepers who will offer teachings and guidance in a good way;
Cultural activities that foster belonging, pride, and connection;
A chance to contribute to bold, community-driven solutions that reflect the realities and hopes of Métis youth today.
The LFMO Youth Summit is more than just a gathering. It’s a space to honour Métis youth voices, support one another’s journeys, and build a strong foundation for future advocacy and leadership.
Space is limited. Please apply by Wednesday, August 27 at 4:30 pm ET.
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LFMO at K-Days
LFMO joined K-Days from July 18th – 28th in Edmonton, Alberta to celebrate Metis culture and heritage and share knowledge with visitors in our Healing Garden. The Healing Garden is an immersive experience showcasing culturally significant plants, and allows visitors to engage in Indigenous knowledge, reflection and community.
K-Days is an annual 10-day celebration that sees thousands of visitors and boasts one of the largest Indigenous pavilion exhibits in Canada. With more than 100 vendors, Indigenous foods, furs and hides, beadwork and traditional arts and crafts, performances, Elder teachings, exhibits, and more, Kiyanaw: The Indigenous Experience at K-Days is an event where everyone is welcome to experience the rich diversity of Indigenous cultures.
The event showcases performances by Indigenous musicians, lively jigging and fiddle music, fashion shows, 2SLGBTQQIA+ Pride celebrations, and cultural exhibits—including a Métis trapper’s tent and a traditional Red River Cart!
LFMO was proud to host the Healing Garden again this year as part of Kiyanaw: The Indigenous Experience at K-Days.
Our Healing Garden featured exhibits of Metis traditional clothing, artwork, and items that hold special significance for Metis women. The Healing Garden is intended to be a safe and inclusive space where visitors can listen, learn, and share with Elders without judgment. Rooted in Metis values of kinship, love, and kindness, the Healing Garden invites people from all walks of life to engage with Metis culture and tradition. We were gifted with the presence of Elders throughout the event, who shared their teachings of medicine, language, Two-Spirit people, and more.
This year, we saw hundreds of visitors to our Healing Garden, including some old friends and many new ones. The Indigenous Pavillion was visited by the mayor of Edmonton, Amarjeet Sohi, pictured here with LFMO Knowledge Keeper Sharon Morin. We are grateful to all those who took the opportunity to foster greater understanding and appreciation for Metis culture, history, and tradition.
Sharing this experience with you is always an honour, and this year was no exception. Although K-Days is over for now, we cherish the memories we have made during this exceptional experience, and we look forward to returning in 2026.
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Featured Person
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Chyana Marie Sage
Chyana Marie Sage, a Cree, Métis, and Salish memoirist, essayist, poet, and screenwriter, is no stranger to telling difficult truths. Her debut memoir, Soft As Bones, released in April 2025, is a raw and emotional account of her childhood and adolescence, a story of trauma, survival, and the strength found in telling one’s own truth.
When Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO) sat down with Chyana, she spoke with candor about her writing journey, the healing that made it possible, and the creative vision that now drives her work across literature, fashion, film, and community building.
Chyana describes writing Soft As Bones as “the most cathartic experience of my life.” Before she could put pen to paper, she spent years in healing, attending traditional ceremonies, sweat lodges, and women’s circles, alongside western therapy.
“I always knew that one day I would write this story, because I could feel the importance of it,” she says. “What happened to my family, as much as it is horrifying and dark, is also not unique. There are so many of us Indigenous families that deal with these types of trauma within our households.”
The process took four years, which Chyana says is symbolic. “Four is a sacred number in my culture. The book has four parts. It feels like the story was meant to unfold that way.”
Writing was often solitary, accompanied by the scent of sage and sweetgrass. Inspiration came in waves, followed by long pauses for reflection and healing. “When you delve into memory, it’s like a snowball: one memory brings another. I had to honour my body and spirit through it all.”
Chyana’s earliest writing was born in secrecy. As a child, she carried burdens she couldn’t share aloud. “I started journaling at eight. Writing was my safe space,” she recalls. Poetry soon followed, allowing her to speak truths without naming them outright.
At 12, after testifying in court against her father, the secrecy shattered. “It was liberating. I started therapy. I learned it was okay to tell the truth.” Today, she considers herself not just a storyteller, but a truth-teller, unafraid to share the complicated realities that shape Indigenous lives. “Writing is my way of reclaiming my voice, and giving voice to little Chyana, who wasn’t allowed to speak.”
Chyana’s artistry extends beyond the page. As a public speaker, model, and advocate, she views each role as strands of a larger braid of storytelling and representation. “Everything I do is for community,” she says. “The idea is that every generation heals a little more, creating a safer space for our youth.”
Her speaking engagements often turn into intimate exchanges with readers. “People come up after, share their own stories. That connection, that’s what it’s all about.”
Modeling, too, is a form of storytelling for Chyana, and a way of nurturing her inner child. Growing up, she helped her Auntie Charmaine backstage at fashion shows, learning how Indigenous designers weave culture and tradition into their garments.
Today, she collaborates with designers like Leslie Hampton, Lindsay King, and Jamie Okuma. King’s “Red Collection,” honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, drew Chyana in because of her activism. “These opportunities come from the work I do in the community, telling the hard truths and honouring every shade of who we are.”
This commitment to Indigenous storytelling led Chyana and her sister to found the Soft As Bones Storytelling Foundation. Its flagship event, the Woven Skies Festival, launches in April 2026.
“I realized we have Indigenous festivals for film and fashion, but not for literature,” she says. Woven Skies will go further, blending literature with Indigenous dance, fashion markets, and panels featuring storytellers across disciplines. “It’s about creating all-Indigenous spaces where we can heal through story and art.”
Chyana is now working on a Cree magical realism novel with hints of horror, inspired by traditional trickster stories and cultural teachings. She’s also directing a short film, a wordless, visually rich meditation on intergenerational inheritance, framed through a drum-making ceremony and the flowing presence of water.
“I had to tell my memoir first,” she says. “Now, I feel free to explore all these other stories living inside me.”
With every project, Chyana returns to the same guiding principle: truth-telling as a path to collective healing. Whether on the page, the runway, or the stage, her work carries the same steady heartbeat, a rhythm that honours the past while looking to the future.
For updates on her work, follow Chyana at:
Instagram: @softasbones
Website: www.chyanamariesage.com
YouTube: @softasbones
Dear Friends,
This past season has been full of powerful moments for Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO). We have been out both in Canada and on the world stage, making sure the voices of Métis women, gender-diverse people, and families are not only heard but respected and acted on. From policy tables to cultural gatherings, every step we have taken has been rooted in our traditions, values, and the lived experiences of our people.
We know political changes can bring uncertainty. Governments shift, priorities move, and too often decisions are made without us in the room. I want you to know that LFMO is not going anywhere. We will keep listening to you, responding to what matters most, and raising the issues you bring forward. The safety, wellbeing, and rights of Métis women and gender-diverse people cannot wait.
In this newsletter, you will see some of what we have been up to, including joining the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, working with partners to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, and creating spaces for cultural pride, healing, and connection. These are just some of the ways your voices are shaping our work.
As we look ahead, we will keep building on what we have started, growing the projects that are making a difference, and exploring new ways to meet the needs and hopes of Métis women and gender-diverse people. Everything we do is grounded in the strength of our history, the richness of our culture, and the determination of our people to keep moving forward together.
In friendship and solidarity,
Melanie Omeniho
President, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
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News
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Employment and Social Development Canada Report
In partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), we are proud to present our annual report in an oral format, in alignment with Métis oral tradition. This report reflects thoughtful planning and a deep commitment to honouring Métis identity, tradition, and cultural heritage. We hope this format sets a meaningful precedent for future reports, continuing to uphold the oral traditions of our ancestors.
In conversation with Gerald Gosselin, Director General of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), LFMO President Melanie Omeniho reflects on the growth and transformation of our organization over the past year. Throughout this time, LFMO has worked closely with ESDC to build a strong, collaborative, and mutually respectful relationship. This relationship is rooted in the spirit of Wahkohtowin, a Cree concept that speaks to kinship, interconnection, and our shared responsibilities to one another and the world around us.
This meaningful partnership has been instrumental in advancing our efforts to uphold the rights, safety, and self-determination of Métis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. Together, we continue to foster pathways for equity, healing, and systemic change that are led by community and grounded in cultural strength.
Watch the video: https://metiswomen.org/resource/lfmo-esdc-oral-report/
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UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) 24th Session
Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO) participated in the Twenty-Fourth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in New York City in April. LFMO’s presence was a powerful declaration of the strength, unity, and resolve of Métis women and gender-diverse people. We were honoured to be joined by Aluki Kotierk, Vice-Chair of the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Peoples. She has held a long standing career as an Inuk leader and politician, an advocate for the Nunavut land claims organization, and has built her career in several executive level public service roles. Elected in 2024, Kotierk is the first Inuk person from Canada to chair the UNFPII.
The UNPFII focuses on advancing the rights and well-being of Indigenous peoples worldwide. Since 2000, it has guided the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on critical issues including culture, health, education, environment and climate change, human rights, and sustainable development.
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The Forum brings together Indigenous leaders and international governments to advance Indigenous self-determination, cultural resurgence and revitalization, and land rights, grounded in the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
As part of our engagement, LFMO hosted a side event titled “Bringing UNDRIP to Life: Indigenous Women Leading the Way.” The international panel, chaired by Brenda Gunn, Professor, University of Manitoba, Faculty of Law, and scholar on UNDRIP, featured Melanie Omeniho, Gianella E. Sanchez Guimaraes (Shipibo-Konibo), Charlie Le Grice (Human Rights First), Josie Nepinak (Native Women’s Association of Canada), and Sara Omi (Women’s Movement Representative, Global Alliance of Territorial Communities). Panelists tackled urgent global challenges, addressing gender-based violence connected to extractive industries, calling for justice reform, highlighting gaps in data collection, and championing Indigenous-led, cross-border collaboration through efforts like the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Trilateral Working Group.
The session emphasized that violence against Indigenous women is global, structural, and persistent, and that UNDRIP and Canada’s United Nations Declaration Act (UNDA) are not symbolic gestures, but essential tools for dismantling colonial systems and advancing reconciliation. As one panelist noted, “International collaboration isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s necessary for Indigenous women to not just have a seat at the table, but to help build the table.”
Throughout the forum, LFMO stood alongside Indigenous women leaders and human rights advocates from around the world in calling for the full realization of Indigenous rights.
LFMO President Melanie Omeniho stated, “It’s about justice. It’s about dignity. And it’s about the right to live well, on our own terms.”
LFMO remains committed to carrying forward the unfinished work of advancing the rights and self-determination of Métis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. We look forward to continuing these conversations, and turning them into meaningful action, in the years to come.
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Two Spirit Gathering
LFMO is proud to share highlights from the mawiiyahk nakatikashoo National Métis Two Spirit Gathering in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. From June 20 to 23, mawiiyahk nakatikashoo, meaning “leave no one behind,” welcomed participants into a space of inclusion, healing, and cultural pride. Through meaningful activities rooted in Métis tradition and spiritual teachings, the gathering honoured the unique gifts and identities of Métis Two Spirit people.
The term “Two-Spirit” was created by and for Indigenous people in 1990 at the Third Annual Intertribal Native American/First Nations Gay and Lesbian Conference in Winnipeg. Though the term itself is relatively new, Two-Spirit people have always existed. Long before colonization disrupted traditional Indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality, Two-Spirit people were deeply respected for their spiritual gifts.
At the gathering, Dr. Chantal Fiola delivered a powerful and thought-provoking presentation rooted in conversations with eight 2SLGBTQQIA+ ceremonial leaders and participants from across the Motherland. Their reflections opened up critical dialogue on how to affirm and uplift queer voices within traditionally heteronormative spaces, particularly within Indigenous ceremonial spaces.
LFMO’s Two Spirit Initiatives Manager, Nic Taylor, shared key findings from recent research highlighting the experiences of 2SLGBTQQIA+ Métis people, including the impacts of gender and orientation-based violence, and opportunities for advocacy, cultural programming, and community support.
Throughout the gathering, participants engaged in activities from exploring Michif language teachings that recognize gender and sexual diversity within Métis culture, to learning about traditional tattooing as a form of medicine rooted in land, lineage, and gender expression. The event culminated in a joyful celebration of identity and self-expression at the Passion Show, featuring drag performer Riel Deadly (@RielDeadly on Instagram).
Mawiiyahk nakatikashoo marked the beginning of a powerful new chapter, the first of many gatherings that will continue to bring together Métis Two Spirit people from across the Motherland to honour their stories, celebrate their identities, and build a community grounded in pride, joy, and cultural connection.
Visit https://mawiiyahknakatikashoo.com/ to learn more about the Métis 2SLGBTQQIA+ National Committee.
Follow @mawiiyahknakatikashoo on Instagram!
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Project Updates
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MMIWG2S+ Database Project Partnership
On May 5th, 2025 (Red Dress Day), LFMO joined Pauktuutit Inuit Women, the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA), and 2 Spirits in Motion Society (2SiMS) on Parliament Hill to announce a first-of-its-kind partnership focusing on MMIWG2S+ data collection.
This partnership focuses on the creation of a comprehensive database of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada, includinginformation about cold cases that have gone unsolved for many decades. In addition to this work, LFMO is creating a Metis-specific database to track missing and murdered Metis women and girls. This work is vital in achieving justice for Metis MMIWG2S+: understanding the complex roots of this crisis helps shape better policies to protect Indigenous women.
Disaggregated data that distinguishes between Inuit, Métis, and First Nations MMIWG2S+ is essential to fully understanding the scope and complexity of this crisis. Our aim of this project is to paint a clearer picture of the realities facing Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, and guide meaningful, collaborative action to ensure their safety and well-being.
We look forward to sharing more of this work in the near future. To learn more about the project, and how you can get involved, click here: https://metiswomen.org/project/mmiwg2s-database-project-partnership/
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Sexual & Reproductive Health Info Sheets
We are pleased to share this essential resource for understanding and embracing Metis sexual and reproductive health.
From navigating menstruation to menopause, to learning how to advocate for yourself in medical environments, this resource weaves traditional knowledge with contemporary health practices to guide you in your sexual and reproductive wellness journey.
We are sincerely grateful to Grandmother Linda Boudreau-Semaganis, who shared her teachings in support of this work.
You can find the sexual and reproductive info sheets here: https://metiswomen.org/resource/sexual-and-reproductive-health-information-sheets/
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LFMO’s MIYÓYÂWIN Initiative on Métis Mental Wellness: What We Heard Report & Literature Review
You can now view the MIYÓYÂWIN Initiative on Métis Mental Wellness: What We Heard Report and Literature Review on our website.
Both the Literature Review Summary and What We Heard: Community Report Summary from LFMO’s MIYÓYÂWIN Initiative highlight the holistic understanding of Métis mental wellness, nurturing the mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of self.
Highlighting insights from participants, these reports focus on systemic barriers such as racism in healthcare, a lack of culturally safe spaces, and the absence of Métis and 2SLGBTQQIA+ care providers, and how these issues continue to limit access to meaningful support.
Together, these reports offer a vital snapshot of the current state of Métis mental wellness and the systems meant to support it. They not only reveal the gaps in services, but also offer solutions to better support Métis mental wellness.
LFMO extends deep gratitude to everyone who shared their stories. This work is a reflection of the courage, compassion, and leadership of grassroots Métis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ kin, without whom this initiative would not be possible.
Métis Mental Wellness – What We Heard Report:https://metiswomen.org/resource/lfmos-miyoyawin-initiative-on-metis-mental-wellness-2024-what-we-heard-community-report-summary/Métis Mental Wellness – Literature Review:https://metiswomen.org/resource/metis-mental-wellness-rooted-in-culture-strengthened-in-community-summary-of-key-findings-from-the-literature/Funding for this project was provided through the Mental Wellness Program by the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Indigenous Services Canada, Government of Canada.
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Announcements
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LFMO Youth Summit: October 3-5, 2025 | Ottawa, Ontario
Get ready for LFMO’s Youth Gathering!
This fall, Métis youth from across the Motherland will gather in Ottawa for LFMO’s Youth Summit, a three-day event rooted in kinship, culture, and community. The gathering will offer a culturally safe and welcoming space where Métis youth can come together to share stories, build connections, and explore solutions to the challenges facing their communities.
Shaped by the voices and leadership of LFMO’s National Youth Council, the Summit reflects months of conversation and collaboration. Discussions around identity, cultural revitalization, intergenerational knowledge, and the complexities of reconnecting to culture in today’s world have informed every aspect of the event. Youth have also engaged directly with LFMO’s health team to bring forward perspectives on Métis youth mental wellness, ensuring these themes are woven throughout the program.
Participants can expect a well-rounded and youth-led experience that includes:
Collaborative workshops and dialogue on issues such as gender-based violence, climate justice, and Métis identity;
Opportunities to learn from Elders and Knowledge Keepers who will offer teachings and guidance in a good way;
Cultural activities that foster belonging, pride, and connection;
A chance to contribute to bold, community-driven solutions that reflect the realities and hopes of Métis youth today.
The LFMO Youth Summit is more than just a gathering. It’s a space to honour Métis youth voices, support one another’s journeys, and build a strong foundation for future advocacy and leadership.
Space is limited. Please apply by Wednesday, August 27 at 4:30 pm ET.
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LFMO at K-Days
LFMO joined K-Days from July 18th – 28th in Edmonton, Alberta to celebrate Metis culture and heritage and share knowledge with visitors in our Healing Garden. The Healing Garden is an immersive experience showcasing culturally significant plants, and allows visitors to engage in Indigenous knowledge, reflection and community.
K-Days is an annual 10-day celebration that sees thousands of visitors and boasts one of the largest Indigenous pavilion exhibits in Canada. With more than 100 vendors, Indigenous foods, furs and hides, beadwork and traditional arts and crafts, performances, Elder teachings, exhibits, and more, Kiyanaw: The Indigenous Experience at K-Days is an event where everyone is welcome to experience the rich diversity of Indigenous cultures.
The event showcases performances by Indigenous musicians, lively jigging and fiddle music, fashion shows, 2SLGBTQQIA+ Pride celebrations, and cultural exhibits—including a Métis trapper’s tent and a traditional Red River Cart!
LFMO was proud to host the Healing Garden again this year as part of Kiyanaw: The Indigenous Experience at K-Days.
Our Healing Garden featured exhibits of Metis traditional clothing, artwork, and items that hold special significance for Metis women. The Healing Garden is intended to be a safe and inclusive space where visitors can listen, learn, and share with Elders without judgment. Rooted in Metis values of kinship, love, and kindness, the Healing Garden invites people from all walks of life to engage with Metis culture and tradition. We were gifted with the presence of Elders throughout the event, who shared their teachings of medicine, language, Two-Spirit people, and more.
This year, we saw hundreds of visitors to our Healing Garden, including some old friends and many new ones. The Indigenous Pavillion was visited by the mayor of Edmonton, Amarjeet Sohi, pictured here with LFMO Knowledge Keeper Sharon Morin. We are grateful to all those who took the opportunity to foster greater understanding and appreciation for Metis culture, history, and tradition.
Sharing this experience with you is always an honour, and this year was no exception. Although K-Days is over for now, we cherish the memories we have made during this exceptional experience, and we look forward to returning in 2026.
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Featured Person
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Chyana Marie Sage
Chyana Marie Sage, a Cree, Métis, and Salish memoirist, essayist, poet, and screenwriter, is no stranger to telling difficult truths. Her debut memoir, Soft As Bones, released in April 2025, is a raw and emotional account of her childhood and adolescence, a story of trauma, survival, and the strength found in telling one’s own truth.
When Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO) sat down with Chyana, she spoke with candor about her writing journey, the healing that made it possible, and the creative vision that now drives her work across literature, fashion, film, and community building.
Chyana describes writing Soft As Bones as “the most cathartic experience of my life.” Before she could put pen to paper, she spent years in healing, attending traditional ceremonies, sweat lodges, and women’s circles, alongside western therapy.
“I always knew that one day I would write this story, because I could feel the importance of it,” she says. “What happened to my family, as much as it is horrifying and dark, is also not unique. There are so many of us Indigenous families that deal with these types of trauma within our households.”
The process took four years, which Chyana says is symbolic. “Four is a sacred number in my culture. The book has four parts. It feels like the story was meant to unfold that way.”
Writing was often solitary, accompanied by the scent of sage and sweetgrass. Inspiration came in waves, followed by long pauses for reflection and healing. “When you delve into memory, it’s like a snowball: one memory brings another. I had to honour my body and spirit through it all.”
Chyana’s earliest writing was born in secrecy. As a child, she carried burdens she couldn’t share aloud. “I started journaling at eight. Writing was my safe space,” she recalls. Poetry soon followed, allowing her to speak truths without naming them outright.
At 12, after testifying in court against her father, the secrecy shattered. “It was liberating. I started therapy. I learned it was okay to tell the truth.” Today, she considers herself not just a storyteller, but a truth-teller, unafraid to share the complicated realities that shape Indigenous lives. “Writing is my way of reclaiming my voice, and giving voice to little Chyana, who wasn’t allowed to speak.”
Chyana’s artistry extends beyond the page. As a public speaker, model, and advocate, she views each role as strands of a larger braid of storytelling and representation. “Everything I do is for community,” she says. “The idea is that every generation heals a little more, creating a safer space for our youth.”
Her speaking engagements often turn into intimate exchanges with readers. “People come up after, share their own stories. That connection, that’s what it’s all about.”
Modeling, too, is a form of storytelling for Chyana, and a way of nurturing her inner child. Growing up, she helped her Auntie Charmaine backstage at fashion shows, learning how Indigenous designers weave culture and tradition into their garments.
Today, she collaborates with designers like Leslie Hampton, Lindsay King, and Jamie Okuma. King’s “Red Collection,” honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, drew Chyana in because of her activism. “These opportunities come from the work I do in the community, telling the hard truths and honouring every shade of who we are.”
This commitment to Indigenous storytelling led Chyana and her sister to found the Soft As Bones Storytelling Foundation. Its flagship event, the Woven Skies Festival, launches in April 2026.
“I realized we have Indigenous festivals for film and fashion, but not for literature,” she says. Woven Skies will go further, blending literature with Indigenous dance, fashion markets, and panels featuring storytellers across disciplines. “It’s about creating all-Indigenous spaces where we can heal through story and art.”
Chyana is now working on a Cree magical realism novel with hints of horror, inspired by traditional trickster stories and cultural teachings. She’s also directing a short film, a wordless, visually rich meditation on intergenerational inheritance, framed through a drum-making ceremony and the flowing presence of water.
“I had to tell my memoir first,” she says. “Now, I feel free to explore all these other stories living inside me.”
With every project, Chyana returns to the same guiding principle: truth-telling as a path to collective healing. Whether on the page, the runway, or the stage, her work carries the same steady heartbeat, a rhythm that honours the past while looking to the future.
For updates on her work, follow Chyana at:
Instagram: @softasbones
Website: www.chyanamariesage.com
YouTube: @softasbones
Join us October 3-5, 2025, in Ottawa, Ontario for the LFMO Youth Summit, a powerful gathering of young Metis leaders and changemakers from across the Motherland.
The LFMO Youth Summit is more than just a conference, it’s an opportunity to foster leadership, strengthen your connection to culture and community, and share ideas to drive meaningful change for the future. Through a dynamic mix of workshops, cultural teachings, and hands-on activities, you’ll dive into critical conversations around mental wellness, gender-based violence, environmental protection, identity, and youth leadership. Youth will have a unique opportunity to connect with Elders and Knowledge Keepers in an environment dedicated to the sharing of intergenerational knowledge. These meaningful exchanges bridge the gap between generations, honouring the wisdom of the past while inspiring new ideas and solutions for the future of all Métis people.
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This is your opportunity to share your voice, build lasting relationships with your peers, and help shape bold, community-driven solutions rooted in Métis tradition and cultural values.
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96Our Youth Summit is coming this October 2025!
[if !gte mso 9]>Apply now for your chance to attend!
Join us October 3-5, 2025, in Ottawa, Ontario for the LFMO Youth Summit, a powerful gathering of young Metis leaders and changemakers from across the Motherland.
The LFMO Youth Summit is more than just a conference, it’s an opportunity to foster leadership, strengthen your connection to culture and community, and share ideas to drive meaningful change for the future. Through a dynamic mix of workshops, cultural teachings, and hands-on activities, you’ll dive into critical conversations around mental wellness, gender-based violence, environmental protection, identity, and youth leadership. Youth will have a unique opportunity to connect with Elders and Knowledge Keepers in an environment dedicated to the sharing of intergenerational knowledge. These meaningful exchanges bridge the gap between generations, honouring the wisdom of the past while inspiring new ideas and solutions for the future of all Métis people.
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This is your opportunity to share your voice, build lasting relationships with your peers, and help shape bold, community-driven solutions rooted in Métis tradition and cultural values.
LFMO will be at K-Days from July 18th – 28th in Edmonton, Alberta.
K-Days is an annual 10-day celebration that sees thousands of visitors and boasts one of the largest Indigenous pavilion exhibits in Canada. With more than 100 vendors, Indigenous foods, furs and hides, beadwork and traditional arts and crafts, performances, Elder teachings, exhibits, and more, Kiyanaw: The Indigenous Experience at K-Days is an event where everyone is welcome to experience the rich diversity of Indigenous cultures.
The event showcases performances by Indigenous musicians, lively jigging and fiddle music, fashion shows, 2SLGBTQQIA+ Pride celebrations, and cultural exhibits—including a Métis trapper’s tent and a traditional Red River Cart!
As part of Kiyanaw: The Indigenous Experience at K-Days, we invite you to join us in the Healing Garden, dedicated to creating a safe space where attendees can share, reflect, and learn together.
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In the Healing Garden, located at the Edmonton Expo Pavilion (Hall E – Elders’ Corner & Cultural Workshop Area), visitors will have the opportunity to:
Visit with Metis Elders & learn from Elder teachings;
Work with traditional medicines such as sage, cedar, and sweetgrass;
Learn more about LFMO’s ongoing work to support Metis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people;
Connect with others to share lived-experiences and participate in storytelling;
Rest and relax in a safe and inclusive space.
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On Indigenous Day (July 21st), admission is free! Redeem your tickets below:
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*Limit of 4 tickets per email address on July 21 ONLY.
LFMO will be at K-Days from July 18th – 28th in Edmonton, Alberta.
K-Days is an annual 10-day celebration that sees thousands of visitors and boasts one of the largest Indigenous pavilion exhibits in Canada. With more than 100 vendors, Indigenous foods, furs and hides, beadwork and traditional arts and crafts, performances, Elder teachings, exhibits, and more, Kiyanaw: The Indigenous Experience at K-Days is an event where everyone is welcome to experience the rich diversity of Indigenous cultures.
The event showcases performances by Indigenous musicians, lively jigging and fiddle music, fashion shows, 2SLGBTQQIA+ Pride celebrations, and cultural exhibits—including a Métis trapper’s tent and a traditional Red River Cart!
As part of Kiyanaw: The Indigenous Experience at K-Days, we invite you to join us in the Healing Garden, dedicated to creating a safe space where attendees can share, reflect, and learn together.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
In the Healing Garden, located at the Edmonton Expo Pavilion (Hall E – Elders’ Corner & Cultural Workshop Area), visitors will have the opportunity to:
Visit with Metis Elders & learn from Elder teachings;
Work with traditional medicines such as sage, cedar, and sweetgrass;
Learn more about LFMO’s ongoing work to support Metis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people;
Connect with others to share lived-experiences and participate in storytelling;
Rest and relax in a safe and inclusive space.
[if mso]>
[if mso]>
On Indigenous Day (July 21st), admission is free! Redeem your tickets below:
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*Limit of 4 tickets per email address on July 21 ONLY.
This past season has been full of powerful moments for Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO). We have been out both in Canada and on the world stage, making sure the voices of Métis women, gender-diverse people, and families are not only heard but respected and acted on. From policy tables to cultural gatherings, every step we have taken has been rooted in our traditions, values, and the lived experiences of our people.
We know political changes can bring uncertainty. Governments shift, priorities move, and too often decisions are made without us in the room. I want you to know that LFMO is not going anywhere. We will keep listening to you, responding to what matters most, and raising the issues you bring forward. The safety, wellbeing, and rights of Métis women and gender-diverse people cannot wait.
In this newsletter, you will see some of what we have been up to, including joining the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, working with partners to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, and creating spaces for cultural pride, healing, and connection. These are just some of the ways your voices are shaping our work.
As we look ahead, we will keep building on what we have started, growing the projects that are making a difference, and exploring new ways to meet the needs and hopes of Métis women and gender-diverse people. Everything we do is grounded in the strength of our history, the richness of our culture, and the determination of our people to keep moving forward together.
In friendship and solidarity,
Melanie Omeniho
President, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak
The session emphasized that violence against Indigenous women is global, structural, and persistent, and that UNDRIP and Canada’s United Nations Declaration Act (UNDA) are not symbolic gestures, but essential tools for dismantling colonial systems and advancing reconciliation. As one panelist noted, “International collaboration isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s necessary for Indigenous women to not just have a seat at the table, but to help build the table.”
Throughout the forum, LFMO stood alongside Indigenous women leaders and human rights advocates from around the world in calling for the full realization of Indigenous rights.
LFMO President Melanie Omeniho stated, “It’s about justice. It’s about dignity. And it’s about the right to live well, on our own terms.”
LFMO remains committed to carrying forward the unfinished work of advancing the rights and self-determination of Métis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people. We look forward to continuing these conversations, and turning them into meaningful action, in the years to come.
The term “Two-Spirit” was created by and for Indigenous people in 1990 at the Third Annual Intertribal Native American/First Nations Gay and Lesbian Conference in Winnipeg. Though the term itself is relatively new, Two-Spirit people have always existed. Long before colonization disrupted traditional Indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality, Two-Spirit people were deeply respected for their spiritual gifts.
At the gathering, Dr. Chantal Fiola delivered a powerful and thought-provoking presentation rooted in conversations with eight 2SLGBTQQIA+ ceremonial leaders and participants from across the Motherland. Their reflections opened up critical dialogue on how to affirm and uplift queer voices within traditionally heteronormative spaces, particularly within Indigenous ceremonial spaces.
LFMO’s Two Spirit Initiatives Manager, Nic Taylor, shared key findings from recent research highlighting the experiences of 2SLGBTQQIA+ Métis people, including the impacts of gender and orientation-based violence, and opportunities for advocacy, cultural programming, and community support.
Throughout the gathering, participants engaged in activities from exploring Michif language teachings that recognize gender and sexual diversity within Métis culture, to learning about traditional tattooing as a form of medicine rooted in land, lineage, and gender expression. The event culminated in a joyful celebration of identity and self-expression at the Passion Show, featuring drag performer Riel Deadly (@RielDeadly on Instagram).
Mawiiyahk nakatikashoo marked the beginning of a powerful new chapter, the first of many gatherings that will continue to bring together Métis Two Spirit people from across the Motherland to honour their stories, celebrate their identities, and build a community grounded in pride, joy, and cultural connection.
Visit 
ntal wellness, nurturing the mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of self.
Highlighting insights from participants, these reports focus on systemic barriers such as racism in healthcare, a lack of culturally safe spaces, and the absence of Métis and 2SLGBTQQIA+ care providers, and how these issues continue to limit access to meaningful support.
Together, these reports offer a vital snapshot of the current state of Métis mental wellness and the systems meant to support it. They not only reveal the gaps in services, but also offer solutions to better support Métis mental wellness.
LFMO extends deep gratitude to everyone who shared their stories. This work is a reflection of the courage, compassion, and leadership of grassroots Métis women and 2SLGBTQQIA+ kin, without whom this initiative would not be possible.
Métis Mental Wellness – What We Heard Report: 
Shaped by the voices and leadership of LFMO’s National Youth Council, the Summit reflects months of conversation and collaboration. Discussions around identity, cultural revitalization, intergenerational knowledge, and the complexities of reconnecting to culture in today’s world have informed every aspect of the event. Youth have also engaged directly with LFMO’s health team to bring forward perspectives on Métis youth mental wellness, ensuring these themes are woven throughout the program.
Participants can expect a well-rounded and youth-led experience that includes:
Our Healing Garden featured exhibits of Metis traditional clothing, artwork, and items that hold special significance for Metis women. The Healing Garden is intended to be a safe and inclusive space where visitors can listen, learn, and share with Elders without judgment. Rooted in Metis values of kinship, love, and kindness, the Healing Garden invites people from all walks of life to engage with Metis culture and tradition. We were gifted with the presence of Elders throughout the event, who shared their teachings of medicine, language, Two-Spirit people, and more.
This year, we saw hundreds of visitors to our Healing Garden, including some old friends and many new ones. The Indigenous Pavillion was visited by the mayor of Edmonton, Amarjeet Sohi, pictured here with LFMO Knowledge Keeper Sharon Morin. We are grateful to all those who took the opportunity to foster greater understanding and appreciation for Metis culture, history, and tradition.
Sharing this experience with you is always an honour, and this year was no exception. Although K-Days is over for now, we cherish the memories we have made during this exceptional experience, and we look forward to returning in 2026.
Chyana Marie Sage, a Cree, Métis, and Salish memoirist, essayist, poet, and screenwriter, is no stranger to telling difficult truths. Her debut memoir, Soft As Bones, released in April 2025, is a raw and emotional account of her childhood and adolescence, a story of trauma, survival, and the strength found in telling one’s own truth.
When Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO) sat down with Chyana, she spoke with candor about her writing journey, the healing that made it possible, and the creative vision that now drives her work across literature, fashion, film, and community building.
Chyana describes writing Soft As Bones as “the most cathartic experience of my life.” Before she could put pen to paper, she spent years in healing, attending traditional ceremonies, sweat lodges, and women’s circles, alongside western therapy.
“I always knew that one day I would write this story, because I could feel the importance of it,” she says. “What happened to my family, as much as it is horrifying and dark, is also not unique. There are so many of us Indigenous families that deal with these types of trauma within our households.”
The process took four years, which Chyana says is symbolic. “Four is a sacred number in my culture. The book has four parts. It feels like the story was meant to unfold that way.”
Writing was often solitary, accompanied by the scent of sage and sweetgrass. Inspiration came in waves, followed by long pauses for reflection and healing. “When you delve into memory, it’s like a snowball: one memory brings another. I had to honour my body and spirit through it all.”
Chyana’s earliest writing was born in secrecy. As a child, she carried burdens she couldn’t share aloud. “I started journaling at eight. Writing was my safe space,” she recalls. Poetry soon followed, allowing her to speak truths without naming them outright.
At 12, after testifying in court against her father, the secrecy shattered. “It was liberating. I started therapy. I learned it was okay to tell the truth.” Today, she considers herself not just a storyteller, but a truth-teller, unafraid to share the complicated realities that shape Indigenous lives. “Writing is my way of reclaiming my voice, and giving voice to little Chyana, who wasn’t allowed to speak.”
Chyana’s artistry extends beyond the page. As a public speaker, model, and advocate, she views each role as strands of a larger braid of storytelling and representation. “Everything I do is for community,” she says. “The idea is that every generation heals a little more, creating a safer space for our youth.”
Her speaking engagements often turn into intimate exchanges with readers. “People come up after, share their own stories. That connection, that’s what it’s all about.”
Modeling, too, is a form of storytelling for Chyana, and a way of nurturing her inner child. Growing up, she helped her Auntie Charmaine backstage at fashion shows, learning how Indigenous designers weave culture and tradition into their garments.
Today, she collaborates with designers like Leslie Hampton, Lindsay King, and Jamie Okuma. King’s “Red Collection,” honouring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, drew Chyana in because of her activism. “These opportunities come from the work I do in the community, telling the hard truths and honouring every shade of who we are.”
This commitment to Indigenous storytelling led Chyana and her sister to found the Soft As Bones Storytelling Foundation. Its flagship event, the Woven Skies Festival, launches in April 2026.
“I realized we have Indigenous festivals for film and fashion, but not for literature,” she says. Woven Skies will go further, blending literature with Indigenous dance, fashion markets, and panels featuring storytellers across disciplines. “It’s about creating all-Indigenous spaces where we can heal through story and art.”
Chyana is now working on a Cree magical realism novel with hints of horror, inspired by traditional trickster stories and cultural teachings. She’s also directing a short film, a wordless, visually rich meditation on intergenerational inheritance, framed through a drum-making ceremony and the flowing presence of water.
“I had to tell my memoir first,” she says. “Now, I feel free to explore all these other stories living inside me.”
With every project, Chyana returns to the same guiding principle: truth-telling as a path to collective healing. Whether on the page, the runway, or the stage, her work carries the same steady heartbeat, a rhythm that honours the past while looking to the future.
For updates on her work, follow Chyana at:
Instagram: @softasbones
Website: www.chyanamariesage.com
YouTube: @softasbones
