Welcome to
Lesser Slave Lake
Métis District

Message from the Interim District Council

We’re pleased to welcome you to the new Lesser Slave Lake Métis District website. This is a place where you can access information, learn more about our supports and services, and share in our pride as Métis people.

On the About page, you’ll find the names and email addresses of our District team. We are all here for you. Please contact us if you need information, have questions, or want to share something with us.

Our people are our greatest strength—and that includes you. Thank you for visiting our website!

Latest News & Events

Unveiling Our New Monument

Unveiling Our New Monument

On September 27th, we gathered for a deeply moving and profound event—the unveiling of our Truth and Reconciliation Monument, 𝙋𝙚𝙩𝙤𝙝𝙩𝙚 𝙉𝙞𝙞𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙝𝙠 – 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙃𝙤𝙢𝙚. 🧡 This monument, located in the Town of Slave Lake and Government Centre’s courtyard, stands to honor the survivors and victims of the Indian Residential Schools in the Lesser Slave Lake Territory.

This powerful symbol represents our community’s journey towards truth, healing, and reconciliation. The day was filled with emotions as we reflected on the lasting impacts of residential schools while coming together to honor the survivors and the children who never made it home.

This monument serves as a place of remembrance, resilience, and unity—a step forward in recognizing our shared history and the need for continued reconciliation.

Thank you to everyone who supported and contributed to making this monument possible, including our Executive Director Brenda Genaille, our Métis Wellness Coordinator Barbara Emmrich, our Consultation Coordinator Walter Andreef, the Government of Canada, the Town of Slave Lake, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd (CNRL), West Fraser, and an anonymous donor.

We also extend our gratitude and recognition to the artist Louis Lavoie for the breathtaking painting featured on the monument that was based on the vision of Lorna Dancey. A heartfelt thank you goes out to a residential school survivor and our Elder Pearl Sandor for sharing experiences with us. We also extend our gratitude to the team at Truly Creative Marketing for the beautiful design elements on the monument including the beaded artwork, sweetgrass healing emblem, our logo, the layout of the monument, and our orange t-shirts. A grateful thank you goes out to Chastin Martel for the photographs of the event 💙

Our hope is that this monument will stand as a beacon of hope and healing for our community. 💙♾️
Mini Monsters Halloween

Mini Monsters Halloween

🎃👻 Get Ready for Mini Monsters’ Halloween! 👻🎃 Métis District 21 is thrilled to join Community Futures’ Mini Monsters’ Halloween event this year! On October 31st, from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, we’ll be handing out candy to all the little ghouls and goblins. 🍬🕸️

Look for the pumpkin posters around town in the local organizations and businesses and stop by our office for some sweet treats! 🍭 We’re so excited to see all the creative costumes and smiling faces! 😄👑🧛‍♀️ This event is to make a safe trick-or-treating experience for young ones, especially those not in school or daycare yet. Mark your calendars and don’t forget your best costume! See you on Halloween! 🎃💀

𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: Thursday, October 31, 2024

𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm

𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗘: District 21 Office
Christmas Dinner Registration

Christmas Dinner Registration

Saturday, December 14, 2024

You’re invited to a delicious community 𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗦 𝗖𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗠𝗔𝗦 𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥 on Saturday, December 14, 2024 🍽️ထ💙

A scrumptious feast for our bellies, an evening to come together as a community, and the big man in red will be there! Santa will even have a gift for your little ones that day! To attend the event you must pre-register your family. A turkey or ham voucher will be gifted one per household. Children can receive a gift from Santa at the dinner and must be pre-registered to be approved. Applicants MUST be District 21 Citizens with a valid MNA Card Number.

👇👇 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 👇👇

𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗢 𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗗: Download the registration form from the button below, or request a copy by emailing region5@metis.org

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: All participants 𝙈𝙐𝙎𝙏 have their registration forms submitted by 4:00 pm on November 20, 2024. 𝗡𝗼 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 will be accepted** The completed registrations can be dropped off in person, or emailed to region5@metis.org ✉️ 💙ထ💙

🎅🎁 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗗𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗦 🎁🧑‍🎄

📅 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: Sunday, December 14, 2024

🕓 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘: 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

🏠 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘: Slave Lake Inn and Conference Centre, upstairs banquet room

🍽️ 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗗𝗘𝗗 and will be served only in one sitting at 5:00 pm

Registration Form
Great Time at the Annual Citizen’s Gathering 2024

Great Time at the Annual Citizen’s Gathering 2024

We were thrilled to be part of the historic Inaugural Citizen’s Gathering hosted by the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of Alberta! 🎉 It was an honor to connect with our fellow Métis Alberta and District 21 citizens, share our stories, and celebrate our rich culture together.♾️

At our District 21 trade show table, we proudly gave away free Otipemisiwak t-shirts, showcased our new branded sweatpants for sale, and proudly sold our brand new children’s book, The Bear’s Gift. It was a joy to meet so many of you and share in the excitement of our growing nation!💙♾️

This year marked the 96th consecutive year of gathering, and it was truly a celebration to remember. From important announcements about our self-government, and new department initiatives to the vibrant artist market, amazing Métis Jiggers, delicious meals, and activities for all ages, the event was a testament to our community’s strength and unity. 💙

“With over 700 Métis of Alberta Citizens in attendance, the Inaugural Citizen’s Gathering was an incredible success!” said Andrea Sandmaier. We couldn’t agree more—thank you to everyone who made this gathering so special. We’re already looking forward to next year! ✨