Bernadette Smith Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Office:Minister of Housing, Addictions, and Homelessness
Premier:Wab Kinew
Term Start:October 18, 2023
Predecessor:Portfilio established
Office1:Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Point Douglas
Term Start1:June 13, 2017
Predecessor1:Kevin Chief
Party:New Democratic
Residence:Winnipeg, Manitoba

Bernadette Smith is a Canadian First Nations politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in a by-election on June 13, 2017.[1] She represents the electoral district of Point Douglas as a member of the Manitoba New Democratic Party.[2] [3] In November 2023, Smith was named to the BBC's 100 Women list.[4]

Personal life and education

Smith was born and raised in Winnipeg.[5] She left school in Grade 11, completing her high school education at age 22.[5] She subsequently obtained a Child and Youth Care Certificate from Red River Community College.[5]

Smith is Anishinaabe and Métis. Her sister, Claudette Priscilla June Osborne-Tyo, has been missing from Winnipeg since 2008. She has three children: Aron, Matthew and Makena.

She was awarded the Order of Manitoba in 2016.[6]

Career

She was a teacher at Maples Collegiate and the Assistant Director of WayFinders Program at the Seven Oaks School Division.[7] [8] She is the co-founder of the Manitoba Coalition of Families of Missing and Murdered Women in Manitoba (CFMMWM) and the Drag the Red Initiative.

Politics

Smith was the only candidate to submit her name in order to qualify as the New Democratic Party's candidate for Point Douglas in the 2017 by-election.[9] During the campaign, the opposing Progressive Conservative Party filed a complaint with Elections Manitoba alleging that Smith had improperly campaigned at polling stations.[10] [11] Smith won the seat with 44% of the vote.[12] [13]

She was re-elected in the 2019 provincial election and the 2023 Manitoba general election.

Smith has advocated for some form of government investment in order to preserve the Neechi Commons grocery store and arts centre.[14]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/point-douglas-byelection-results-1.4159483 "NDP's Bernadette Smith wins Point Douglas byelection"
  2. News: 'I wanted to give back:' Bernadette Smith running for NDP in Point Douglas . . May 14, 2017 . Keila . DePape . https://web.archive.org/web/20170517200513/http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2017/05/14/bernadette-smith-running-as-ndp-mla-for-point-douglas-.html . May 17, 2017.
  3. News: Manitoba byelection for Point Douglas set for June 13 . . May 12, 2017 . May 17, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170517194855/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/belection-point-douglas-june-manitoba-1.4112202 . May 17, 2017 . Smith helped push for an inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and co-founded Drag the Red, a group that searches the Red River for clues in missing persons cases. She is also a recent recipient of the Order of Manitoba..
  4. Web site: November 23, 2023 . BBC 100 Women 2023: Who is on the list this year? . 2023-11-24 . BBC News . en-GB.
  5. News: Bernadette Smith. May 2014 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170517203418/http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/aed/publications/educators/sept2013_june2014/educator_may2014.html . May 17, 2017.
  6. News: May 12, 2016. Wanda Koop, Bernadette Smith among 11 to get Order of Manitoba in 2016. CBC News. https://web.archive.org/web/20170517195238/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/order-manitoba-2016-wanda-koop-1.3578683. May 17, 2017. Bernadette Smith is best known for her dedication to pursuing justice for Canada's missing and murdered Indigenous girls and women. She is a leader in her community and across Canada..
  7. News: Teacher works to eradicate violence . The popular teacher at Maples Collegiate is one of the new wave of young,vibrant indigenous leaders in Manitoba. . Derek . Dabee . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170517201038/http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/times/correspondent/Teacher-works-to-eradicate-violence-306530601.html . May 17, 2017 . August 6, 2015.
  8. News: Manitoba New Democratic Party . Manitoba New Democratic Party . Bernadette Smith . March 3, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170517195552/http://todaysndp.ca/bernadette-smith-bio . May 17, 2017.
  9. News: Point Douglas activist slams NDP over nomination process . . Cameron . MacLean . January 22, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170517205546/http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/point-douglas-activist-slams-ndp-over-nomination-process-1.3252131 . May 17, 2017 . Indigenous activist Bernadette Smith was the only candidate to submit her name before the party's deadline and her nomination is to be made official Jan. 31..
  10. News: . PC's letter to Elections Manitoba . June 14, 2017 . George J. . Orle . June 8, 2017.
  11. News: Manitoba Tories say NDP getting political at polling station . . Catherine . Ryczak . June 8, 2017 . Manitoba's Progressive Conservatives are accusing the Opposition New Democrats of breaking election rules that ban political activities at polling stations. [...] The Tories said NDP candidate Bernadette Smith has taken photographs of herself with voters in front of the polling station. . https://web.archive.org/web/20170614144849/http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/manitoba-tories-say-ndp-getting-political-at-polling-station-1.3449920 . June 14, 2017.
  12. News: Polls close in Point Douglas; Bernadette Smith retains seat for NDP . A byelection in Point Douglas ended with NDP candidate Bernadette Smith celebrating a victory Tuesday night. . . June 13, 2017 . June 14, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170614144556/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/point-douglas-voting-day-1.4157638.
  13. News: Manitoba NDP retains Point Douglas riding in provincial byelection . Steve . Lambert . . When all poll results were in, New Democrat candidate Bernadette Smith had captured 44 per cent of the vote in a seat where the NDP had never previously scored less than 52 per cent. . June 14, 2017.
  14. News: . 'A vital community meeting space': Neechi Commons building to be auctioned off . Bryce . Hoye . Meaghan . Ketcheson . June 28, 2017 . "This is a vital community meeting place. It's not just a grocery store," Bernadette Smith, the newly minted NDP MLA for Point Douglas, said Wednesday morning, surrounded by organizers from the community." We definitely should be asking the government to put in some funds." . https://web.archive.org/web/20170728033911/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/neechi-commons-winnipeg-1.4181279 . July 28, 2017.

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