{{Short description|Canadian politician}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OM|MLAMB|size=100%}} | image = | image_size = | caption = | office = Minister of Housing, Addictions, and Homelessness | premier = Wab Kinew | term_start = October 18, 2023 | predecessor = ''Portfolio established'' | office1 = Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Point Douglas | term_start1 = June 13, 2017 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = Kevin Chief | successor1 = | party = New Democratic | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|43|2017|05|24}} | birth_place = Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | alma_mater = Red River Colege <br> University of Winnipeg (BA, BEd) }} '''Bernadette Smith''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|OM|MLAMB}} (born {{birth based on age as of date|43|2017|05|24|noage=1}})<ref>{{cite news |last=Braidotti |first=Ligia |date=May 24, 2017 |title=Five Contend for Point Douglas Seat |url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/times/2017/05/24/five-contend-for-point-douglas-seat |work=The Times |location=Winnipeg, Manitoba |publisher=Canstar Community News}}</ref> is a Canadian First Nations politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba in a by-election on June 13, 2017.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/point-douglas-byelection-results-1.4159483 "NDP's Bernadette Smith wins Point Douglas byelection"]. CBC News Manitoba, June 13, 2017.</ref> She represents the electoral district of Point Douglas as a member of the Manitoba New Democratic Party.<ref name="MetroBio">{{cite news |title='I wanted to give back:' Bernadette Smith running for NDP in Point Douglas |publisher=Metro News |url=http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2017/05/14/bernadette-smith-running-as-ndp-mla-for-point-douglas-.html |date=May 14, 2017 |first=Keila |last=DePape |archive-url=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 |archive-date=May 17, 2017}}</ref><ref name="CBCPrimer">{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/belection-point-douglas-june-manitoba-1.4112202 |publisher=CBC News |title=Manitoba byelection for Point Douglas set for June 13 |date=May 12, 2017 |access-date=May 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517194855/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/belection-point-douglas-june-manitoba-1.4112202 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |quote=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.}}</ref> In November 2023, Smith was named to the BBC's 100 Women list.<ref name=BBC>{{Cite web |date=November 23, 2023 |title=BBC 100 Women 2023: Who is on the list this year? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-02d9060e-15dc-426c-bfe0-86a6437e5234 |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
== Personal life and education == Smith was born and raised in Winnipeg.<ref name="GoMBio">{{cite news |url=http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/aed/publications/educators/sept2013_june2014/educator_may2014.html |title=Bernadette Smith |date=May 2014 |publisher=Government of Manitoba |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517203418/http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/aed/publications/educators/sept2013_june2014/educator_may2014.html |archive-date=May 17, 2017}}</ref> She left school in Grade 11, completing her high school education at age 22.<ref name="GoMBio"/> She subsequently obtained a Child and Youth Care Certificate from Red River College.<ref name="GoMBio"/> Smith also obtained Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Winnipeg.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nelliemcclungfoundation.com/150-trailblazers/bernadette-smith%2C-o.m.%2C-mla|title= Bernadette Smith, O.M., MLA|date= <!--Not stated-->|website= The Nellie McClung Foundation|access-date=24 November 2025}}</ref>
Smith is Anishinaabe and Métis.<ref name="GoMBio" /> Her sister, Claudette Priscilla June Osborne-Tyo, has been missing from Winnipeg since 2008.<ref name="GoMBio" /><ref name="MetroBio" /><ref name="NDPBIO" /> She has three children: Aron, Matthew and Makena.<ref name="GoMBio" /><ref name="NDPBIO" />
She was awarded the Order of Manitoba in 2016.<ref name="CBCPrimer" /><ref>{{cite news|date=May 12, 2016|title=Wanda Koop, Bernadette Smith among 11 to get Order of Manitoba in 2016|publisher=CBC News|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/order-manitoba-2016-wanda-koop-1.3578683|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517195238/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/order-manitoba-2016-wanda-koop-1.3578683|archive-date=May 17, 2017|quote=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.}}</ref>
==Career== She was a teacher at Maples Collegiate and the Assistant Director of WayFinders Program at the Seven Oaks School Division.<ref>{{cite news |title=Teacher works to eradicate violence |quote=The popular teacher at Maples Collegiate is one of the new wave of young, vibrant indigenous leaders in Manitoba. |first=Derek |last=Dabee |url=http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/times/correspondent/Teacher-works-to-eradicate-violence-306530601.html |newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517201038/http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/times/correspondent/Teacher-works-to-eradicate-violence-306530601.html |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |date=August 6, 2015}}</ref><ref name="MetroBio" /><ref name="NDPBIO">{{cite news |author=Manitoba New Democratic Party |author-link=Manitoba New Democratic Party |title=Bernadette Smith |date=March 3, 2017 |url=http://todaysndp.ca/bernadette-smith-bio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517195552/http://todaysndp.ca/bernadette-smith-bio |archive-date=May 17, 2017}}</ref> 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.<ref name="NDPBIO" /><ref name="MetroBio" />
==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.<ref name="CTV" >{{cite news |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/article/point-douglas-activist-slams-ndp-over-nomination-process/ |publisher=CTV News |first=Cameron |last=MacLean |date=January 22, 2017 |title=Point Douglas activist slams NDP over nomination process |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517205546/http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/point-douglas-activist-slams-ndp-over-nomination-process-1.3252131 |archive-date=May 17, 2017 |url-status=live |quote=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.}}</ref> During the campaign, the opposing Progressive Conservative Party filed a complaint with Elections Manitoba alleging that Smith had improperly campaigned at polling stations.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=Scribd |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/350770305/PC-s-letter-to-Elections-Manitoba |title= PC's letter to Elections Manitoba |access-date=June 14, 2017 |first=George J. |last=Orle |date=June 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/article/manitoba-tories-say-ndp-getting-political-at-polling-station/ |title=Manitoba Tories say NDP getting political at polling station |publisher=CTV News |first=Catherine |last=Ryczak |date=June 8, 2017 |quote=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. |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614144849/http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/manitoba-tories-say-ndp-getting-political-at-polling-station-1.3449920 |archive-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref> Smith won the seat with 44% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/point-douglas-voting-day-1.4157638 |quote=A byelection in Point Douglas ended with NDP candidate Bernadette Smith celebrating a victory Tuesday night. |publisher=CBC News |title=Polls close in Point Douglas; Bernadette Smith retains seat for NDP |date=June 13, 2017 |archive-date=June 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614144556/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/point-douglas-voting-day-1.4157638}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/article/manitoba-ndp-retains-point-douglas-riding-in-provincial-byelection/ |first=Steve |last=Lambert |publisher=CTV News |quote=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. |title=Manitoba NDP retains Point Douglas riding in provincial byelection |access-date=June 14, 2017}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite news |publisher=CBC News |title='A vital community meeting space': Neechi Commons building to be auctioned off |first=Bryce |last=Hoye |first2=Meaghan |last2=Ketcheson |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/neechi-commons-winnipeg-1.4181279 |date=June 28, 2017 |quote="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." |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728033911/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/neechi-commons-winnipeg-1.4181279 |archive-date=July 28, 2017}}</ref>
==Electoral history== {{2023 Manitoba general election/Point Douglas}} {{2019 Manitoba general election/Point Douglas}}
{{Canadian election result/top|MB|13 June 2017|Point Douglas|percent=yes|change=yes|expenditures=yes|by=yes|reason=Resignation of Kevin Chief}} {{CANelec|MB|NDP|Bernadette Smith|1,568|44.35|-13.46|$35,313.48}} {{CANelec|MB|Liberal|John Cacayuran|1,006|29.08|+9.62|$19,478.56}} {{CANelec|MB|PC|Jodi Moskal|562|16.25|-0.27|$35,068.27}} {{CANelec|MB|Manitoba|Gary Marshall|181|5.23||$5,528.56}} {{CANelec|MB|Green|Sabrina Koehn Binesi|147|4.25|-0.78|$2,230.86}} {{CANelec|MB|Communist|Frank Komarniski|27|0.84|-0.34|$9.44}} {{CANelec/total|Total valid votes/Expense limit|3,491|100.00|-|$37,179.00}} {{CANelec/total|Total rejected and declines votes|23|0.72|-0.45}} {{CANelec/total|Turnout|3,514|32.38|-10.16}} {{CANelec/total|Electors on the lists|11,207}} {{CANelec/hold|MB|NDP|-11.54}} {{CANelec/source|Source: Elections Manitoba<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en/Finance/Candidate_Election_Returns/BE2017PD|title=Election Returns: By-Election|publisher=Elections Manitoba|date=2017|access-date=23 August 2018}}</ref>}} {{end}}
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{Kinew ministry}} {{Manitoba MLAs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Bernadette}} Category:Living people Category:Members of the Order of Manitoba Category:Politicians from Winnipeg Category:Red River College alumni Category:New Democratic Party of Manitoba MLAs Category:Members of the Executive Council of Manitoba Category:First Nations women in politics Category:Women MLAs in Manitoba Category:21st-century Canadian women politicians Category:Women government ministers of Canada Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Métis politicians Category:First Nations politicians Category:Canadian Métis women Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba