# Audrey Poitras

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**Audrey Mae Poitras** ([née](/source/N%C3%A9e) Audrey Mae Dumont; born 1950)[1] is a Canadian politician who served as president of the [Métis Nation of Alberta](/source/M%C3%A9tis_Nation_of_Alberta) from 1996 to 2023.[2] Poitras is the first female to serve as president. She also serves as vice-president on the Canadian [Métis National Council](/source/M%C3%A9tis_National_Council) and joined the Board of the [Canadian Executive Service Organization](/source/Canadian_Executive_Service_Organization) in 2004.[3]

The daughter of Jean Baptiste Dumont and Mabel Kinchshe, Poitras shares common ancestry with [Gabriel Dumont](/source/Gabriel_Dumont_(M%C3%A9tis_leader)), and has family ties to the [Fishing Lake Métis Settlement](/source/Fishing_Lake_Metis_Settlement). She grew up on a farm near [Elk Point, Alberta](/source/Elk_Point,_Alberta), 150 kilometres northeast of [Edmonton](/source/Edmonton).[1] She currently lives in [Edmonton](/source/Edmonton), Alberta.

## Career

As the [Métis Nation of Alberta](/source/M%C3%A9tis_Nation_of_Alberta) (MNA) President, Audrey Poitras is one of the highest profile Métis women in [Canada](/source/Canada) and has been an advocate for Métis rights. Elected as the first female President in 1996, she has since become the longest-serving President of the MNA.

Poitras has been an advocate for Métis rights and will continue to move the Métis rights agenda forward with the help of the [Daniels Supreme Court](/source/Daniels_v_Canada_(Indian_Affairs_and_Northern_Development)) decision in 2016.

Poitras successfully negotiated partnerships with colleges and universities, for Métis Endowment funds of $22 million. She also oversaw the creation of the MNA's Rupertsland Institute and the Métis Centre of Excellence, which is a partnership with the [University of Alberta](/source/University_of_Alberta) promoting education, training, and research.

In September 2003, as Interim President of the [Métis National Council](/source/M%C3%A9tis_National_Council), Poitras announced to the world, "We won! We won!" when the [Supreme Court of Canada](/source/Supreme_Court_of_Canada) made its historic ruling in *[R v Powley](/source/R_v_Powley)*, a [landmark case](/source/Landmark_case) that affirms Métis as [Aboriginal](/source/Indigenous_peoples_in_Canada) people with rights protected by the [Constitution](/source/Constitution_of_Canada). One year later, in 2004, Poitras completed negotiations and signed the historic Interim Métis Harvesting Agreement with Alberta, which is the first agreement in the country to deliver [harvesting](/source/Harvest) rights to Métis.

In April 2004, Poitras represented the Métis Nation at the historic Canada Aboriginal Peoples Roundtable attended by more than 20 federal [cabinet ministers](/source/Cabinet_ministers) and 70 Aboriginal leaders from across the country. Sitting alongside the [Prime Minister](/source/Prime_Minister_of_Canada) and other national Aboriginal leaders, Poitras affirmed the Métis Nation's commitment towards a Canada-Métis Nation Framework Agreement. Poitras witnessed the signing of the Framework Agreement on 31 May 2005 during the federal Policy Retreat on Aboriginal issues in [Ottawa](/source/Ottawa).

In 2005, Poitras was named among "The Alberta 100" by [CBC](/source/Canadian_Broadcasting_Corporation), and "Alberta's 50 most influential people" by *Alberta Venture* magazine. In 2017, the Alberta Chamber of Resources selected Poitras as the 2016 Indigenous Leader of the Year. She has also received various other awards and achievement milestones throughout her career, including a [National Aboriginal Achievement Award](/source/National_Aboriginal_Achievement_Award).

One of Poitras' most significant achievements was the creation of Métis Crossing, a multimillion-dollar cultural [interpretive site](/source/Interpretive_center), along the banks of the [North Saskatchewan River](/source/North_Saskatchewan_River) near [Smoky Lake, Alberta](/source/Smoky_Lake).

## Achievements and awards

- Appreciation Award, [University of Alberta](/source/University_of_Alberta) School of Native Studies 1998
- Region 2 Recognition Award, [Metis National Council](/source/M%C3%A9tis_National_Council), 1999
- Native Counselling Service of Alberta, 2001
- Uniting for Children, Children's Services Ministry 2003
- Esquao Lifetime Achievement Award, Institution For Advancement of Aboriginal Women 2002
- Louis Dorion Award for Outstanding Commitment, [Batoche](/source/Batoche,_Saskatchewan) 2002
- Politics Award, Aboriginal Role Models of Alberta 2002
- Order of the Métis Shawl, Métis Elder's Council 2003
- [Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal](/source/Queen%E2%80%99s_Golden_Jubilee_Medal) 2003
- [Hon. Degree](/source/Honorary_degree) in Management, [Northern Alberta Institute of Technology](/source/Northern_Alberta_Institute_of_Technology) 2005
- [CBC's](/source/Canadian_Broadcasting_Corporation) The Alberta 100 Recognition 2005
- "one of Alberta's most influential people", *Alberta Venture Magazine* 2005
- Circle of Honour, Institute For Advancement of Aboriginal Women 2007 (highest honour given for work to improve lives of Aboriginal people)
- Recognition Award, Aboriginal Veterans Society of Alberta 2009
- [National Aboriginal Achievement Award](/source/National_Aboriginal_Achievement_Award) for Women in Politics 2011
- Alberta Chamber of Resources Indigenous Leader of the Year Award 2016
- Region 3 Recognition Award 2018

## References

1. ["*Métis Nation leader credits her success to believing in people*"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105909/http://www.metisonline.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=987:metis-nation-leader-credits-her-success-to-believing-in-people&catid=13:the-people&Itemid=10). Archived from [the original](http://metisonline.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=987:metis-nation-leader-credits-her-success-to-believing-in-people&catid=13:the-people&Itemid=10) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2012-03-28.

1. Appel, Jeremy (2023-07-12). ["MNA President Audrey Poitras discusses her decision to retire"](https://www.albertanativenews.com/mna-president-audrey-poitras-discusses-her-decision-to-retire/). *Alberta Native News*. Retrieved 2024-06-27.

1. ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060508152148/http://www.albertametis.com/InsideMNA-President.aspx). Archived from [the original](http://www.albertametis.com/InsideMNA-President.aspx) on 2006-05-08. Retrieved 2006-05-23.

1. ["Metis"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180612185206/https://www.audreypoitras.com/). *metis*. Archived from [the original](http://audreypoitras.com/) on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-10.

## External links

- [Métis Nation of Alberta: President profile](https://web.archive.org/web/20060508152148/http://www.albertametis.com/InsideMNA-President.aspx)
- audreypoitras.com [4]

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Audrey Poitras](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audrey_Poitras) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audrey_Poitras?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.