Roméo Saganash
Encyclopedia
Romeo Saganash, is a Canadian
politician and the Member of Parliament
for the Quebec
riding of Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou
. He is a member of the New Democratic Party
and was first elected in the 2011 federal election, succeeding Yvon Lévesque
of the Bloc Québécois
.
, a native reserve in Quebec. He attended law school at the University of Quebec at Montreal and in 1989 he became the first Cree
to receive a law degree in Quebec. Saganash's first language is Cree; he is also fluent in English and French. Saganash attended an Indian residential school. At the age of 7, he was among 27 Cree children taken from their homes to attend French-language schooling in La Tuque, while living with an English-speaking, Anglican family. The program was cancelled the following year, but he remained there for 10 years, completing his schooling in French.
Saganash was served as deputy grand chief of the James Bay Crees of Northen Quebec from 1990 to 1993.
Prior to his election, Saganash served as director of governmental relations and international affairs for the Grand Council of Crees
. From 1997 to 2000, Saganash chaired the James Bay Advisory Committee on the Environment.
As a prominent Cree figure in a riding with many Aboriginal voters, Saganash received personal support from NDP Quebec lieutenant
Thomas Mulcair
, who referred to Saganash as a "very important candidate".
On Friday September 16, 2011, Saganash announced that he was running for the leadership of the NDP
, to succeed Jack Layton
. He is believed to be the first aboriginal leader to run for the leadership of a major Canadian party.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician and the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
riding of Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou
Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou
Abitibi and Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou is a federal riding in the province of Quebec, Canada, that have been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1966."Abitibi" was created in 1966, and renamed "Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik"...
. He is a member of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
and was first elected in the 2011 federal election, succeeding Yvon Lévesque
Yvon Lévesque
Yvon Lévesque is a Quebec politician. He is the former Bloc Québécois Member of Parliament for the riding of Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou....
of the Bloc Québécois
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc Québécois is a federal political party in Canada devoted to the protection of Quebec's interests in the House of Commons of Canada, and the promotion of Quebec sovereignty. The Bloc was originally a party made of Quebec nationalists who defected from the federal Progressive Conservative...
.
Early life
Saganash was born Diom Romeo Saganash, on October 28, 1962 at WaswanipiWaswanipi, Quebec
Waswanipi is a Cree/Iynu community in the Eeyou Istchee territory of central Quebec, Canada, located along Route 113 and near the confluence of the Chibougamau and Waswanipi Rivers. It has a population of 1,473 people...
, a native reserve in Quebec. He attended law school at the University of Quebec at Montreal and in 1989 he became the first Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
to receive a law degree in Quebec. Saganash's first language is Cree; he is also fluent in English and French. Saganash attended an Indian residential school. At the age of 7, he was among 27 Cree children taken from their homes to attend French-language schooling in La Tuque, while living with an English-speaking, Anglican family. The program was cancelled the following year, but he remained there for 10 years, completing his schooling in French.
Career
In 1985, Saganash founded the Cree National Youth Council.Saganash was served as deputy grand chief of the James Bay Crees of Northen Quebec from 1990 to 1993.
Prior to his election, Saganash served as director of governmental relations and international affairs for the Grand Council of Crees
Grand Council of the Crees
The Grand Council of the Crees , or the GCC, is the political body that represents the approximately 16,357 Crees or “Iyyu” / “Iynu” of the Eeyou Istchee territory in the James Bay and Nunavik regions of Northern Quebec, Canada...
. From 1997 to 2000, Saganash chaired the James Bay Advisory Committee on the Environment.
As a prominent Cree figure in a riding with many Aboriginal voters, Saganash received personal support from NDP Quebec lieutenant
Quebec lieutenant
In Canadian politics, a Quebec lieutenant is a politician, from Quebec, usually a francophone and most often a Member of Parliament or at least a current or former candidate for Parliament, who is selected by a senior politician such as the Prime Minister or the leader of a national federal party,...
Thomas Mulcair
Thomas Mulcair
Thomas J. "Tom" Mulcair is a Canadian lawyer, university professor, and politician. He is the federal Member of Parliament for Outremont, Quebec, Canada, and currently holds a seat in the New Democratic Party of Canada...
, who referred to Saganash as a "very important candidate".
On Friday September 16, 2011, Saganash announced that he was running for the leadership of the NDP
New Democratic Party leadership election, 2012
An election for the leadership of the New Democratic Party , a social democratic party in Canada, will occur on March 24, 2012, as a result of the death of Jack Layton, the party's former leader. The party's executive and caucus set the rules for the campaign at a series of meetings in September 2011...
, to succeed Jack Layton
Jack Layton
John Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
. He is believed to be the first aboriginal leader to run for the leadership of a major Canadian party.