Election-wise, Tuesday was a big day for Treaty 3 territory.
While Onigaming First Nation’s Wab Kinew was on the way to becoming premier-designate of Manitoba Tuesday night, Francis Kavanaugh was celebrating election to a record-breaking fourth term as Treaty 3 Grand Chief.
Kinew, leader of the Manitoba NDP, was born in Kenora and spent his early childhood in Onigaming before his family moved to Winnipeg. His party won a majority of seats in Manitoba’s 57-seat legislature.
Kavanaugh, from Naotkamegwanning (Whitefish Bay) First Nation, secured his fourth term as Ogichidaa on Tuesday in a selection process that saw each member nation cast four votes.
Like Kinew’s victory in Manitoba, Kavanaugh’s re-election was also a historic first. He is the organization’s first grand chief to be elected to a fourth term, and he’s the first person elected to three consecutive terms at the head of Grand Council Treaty #3.
Onigaming Chief Jeff Copenace watched Manitoba election coverage at home Tuesday night. Seeing one of their own elected to high office lifted the spirits of residents in the community near Nestor Falls, he said.
“I would say that our citizens are acting the way people react when their favourite team has won the Stanley Cup,” he said in an interview Wednesday.
“Maybe even more than that. You know, I can't imagine more excitement. I don't know how to describe it. People are going crazy, but in the best possible way because, you know, it’s bringing some people to tears.
“We've never had this level of representation at any provincial level, historically. Of course, they’ve had Indigenous leaders in the territories, but never a First Nations leader.
“And Wab was fighting, you know, a hate campaign. To see good triumph is just — you can't ask for more.”
By “hate campaign,” Copenace was referring to negative campaigning by the Progressive Conservatives that some have criticized as racist.
Earlier on Tuesday, before the Manitoba election results started rolling in, Grand Council Treaty #3 re-elected Kavanaugh as Grand Chief.
“I am humbled by the trust and support of the citizens of Treaty #3, who have elected me once again as Ogichidaa Grand Chief,” Kavanaugh said in a news release.
“Our shared commitment to unity and prosperity will guide us as we work together to build a stronger future for all our communities.”
Copenace said he had a text exchange with the new Manitoba premier-designate Wednesday morning and “the guy is so gracious that he wants to host an event in our community for our citizens.
“So that’s his message to the community today. He wants to come home and thank us for the love and support.
“He wants to be the one to organize the event for us, even though we want to organize something for him, and I can't imagine a prouder day for our children. It’s our proudest day ever.”
Kinew’s success is inspiring to First Nations youth, Copenace said.
