SASKATOON — The Metis National Council has elected its first new leader in nearly two decades.
Cassidy Caron, who previously served as youth minister with Metis Nation of B.C., became the first woman to take the role at a special sitting of the general assembly in Saskatoon.
Former president Clément Chartier had held the position since 2003, but in recent years there was internal turmoil with regional leaders calling for his resignation.
Earlier this week, the Manitoba Metis Federation announced it was withdrawing from the council over ongoing disputes about Metis identity.
David Chartrand, president of the Manitoba federation, says the decision came due to concerns that the Métis Nation of Ontario was allegedly accepting non-Metis citizens on its registry.
The Métis National Council also includes provincial Metis organizations from Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2021.
The Canadian Press