Members of the Otipemisiwak Métis government and the municipal government of Edmonton walk to be seated in city hall. Amanda Erickson/The Griff

The 2025 Metis Week proclamation took place at City Hall.

The City of Edmonton and the Otipemisiwak Métis Government formally reaffirmed their relationship with a proclamation ceremony at City Hall, as a part of the 2025 Métis Week. 

“We are here today to commemorate a special moment. Métis Week is a formal recognition of the Métis contributions to the City of Edmonton. It is a recognition of our history on this land, our culture and our stories,” Andrea Sandmaier, president of the Otipemisiwak Métis government in Alberta, said to the audience. 

“We are here today to commemorate a special moment. Métis Week is a formal recognition of the Métis contributions to the City of Edmonton. It is a recognition of our history on this land, our culture and our stories.”

— Andrea Sandmaier, president of the Otipemisiwak Métis government in Alberta. 

Sandmaier added that Métis Week provides an opportunity to honour past generations of Métis people, whose sacrifices helped preserve the Métis identity, including those of Louis Riel. Riel was a Métis politician, resistance leader who helped found Manitoba, but was eventually executed by the Canadian government. 

The ceremony featured Métis cultural traditions, including a jig performance accompanied by fiddle music. Sarah Wolfe, citizens’ representative for the Fort Edmonton Métis District, performed the Métis Nation in Alberta’s anthem and the Canadian national anthem. 

Mayor Andrew Knack took to the stage and spoke about the newly elected City government’s commitment to reconciliation. “And when I say reconciliation, I don’t mean words on paper, or statements made once a year,” Knack said. “I mean the day-to-day work of showing up, listening with humility, learning with honesty and acting with integrity. The work of ensuring Métis voices, knowledge, and lived experiences are not just acknowledged, but truly shape the future of Edmonton.” 

 “And when I say reconciliation, I don’t mean words on paper, or statements made once a year. I mean the day-to-day work of showing up, listening with humility, learning with honesty and acting with integrity. The work of ensuring Métis voices, knowledge, and lived experiences are not just acknowledged, but truly shape the future of Edmonton.” 

— Andrew Knack, Mayor of Edmonton

Edmonton is home to over 44,000 Métis people — more than anywhere else in Alberta. The Métis played a crucial role in establishing Edmonton and the area. During the fur trade, Métis families settled in Fort Edmonton and founded communities around the North Saskatchewan and Sturgeon Rivers. The Métis people served in a variety of roles, including fur traders, hunters, and liaisons between First Nations, Métis, and fur trading companies.

“We’ve been here for a very long time. We’ve been here before Canada was a country and Alberta was a province,” Sandmaier said after the ceremony. 

Sandmaier has a message for all Métis people in Alberta: “Be proud. Stand up for who you are, share our culture, share our history.”