Global InformationList of Indigenous Canadian politicians information
This is a list of indigenous persons in Canada who have been elected to the federal House of Commons, legislative assemblies of provinces and territories, and members appointed to the Senate. It also includes Indigenous Canadians who have been elected to overseas legislatures.
The first Metis politicians elected to the House of Commons were Pierre Delorme and Angus McKay, elected as Conservative party MPs in 1871. The very first First Nations parliamentarian is Leonard Marchand.
There have been 46 Indigenous persons who have served as Members of Parliament, as well as 21 who have been named Senators. After the 2021 Canadian election, the highest number of Indigenous persons were elected to Parliament in history – with 11 MPs (3.3% of the House of Commons). Of the current Indigenous Members of Parliament, 6 are Liberals, 3 are New Democrats and 2 are Conservatives.
Provincially twice has an Indigenous person served as premier (or been elected to serve as premier). John Norquay, who was Métis, served as premier of Manitoba from 1878 to 1887. Wab Kinew, of the Onigaming First Nation, was elected on October 3, 2023 to serve as premier of that same province, as soon as he is formally given the post.[1]
Indigenous persons have been elected to 11 of the 13 provincial legislatures – with only Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island never having had indigenous representation. As of July 2023, there are currently 27 Indigenous people serving in seven provincial legislatures. Of those members, 18 are New Democrats, 7 are Conservatives (three Saskatchewan Party, one Manitoba Progressive Conservative, one BC United, one CAQ, one UCP), one Liberal, and one from the Green Party.
In the territories, Indigenous persons form a majority of representatives in the legislatures of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. Additionally, in Yukon, there are four indigenous MLAs (two Liberals, one New Democrat, and one Yukon Party).
Outside Canada, one Indigenous Canadian has been elected in Australia: Walt Secord served as a Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 2011 until his retirement in 2023. Secord is of Mohawk and Ojibwe descent.[1][2][3]
- ^ "First Nations Citizen Serves in Australian Parliament". Indian Country Today Media Network. 21 June 2011.
- ^ "First Nations Canadian lands prime post in Australian state parliament". National Post. Postmedia News. 17 June 2011. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
- ^ Secord, Walt (2011). "Inaugural speech to NSW Parliament" (PDF). Parliament of New South Wales.