Marc Whitford is the new North Slave Métis Alliance president, taking over after almost two decades of Bill Enge’s leadership.
Enge, president since 2004, chose not to stand for re-election to focus on his health, NSMA said in a news release announcing the outcomes of an election held on Saturday. That news release did not include detailed results.
Whitford had been the alliance’s acting president for the past two years, the NSMA stated, while Enge received medical care.
“Under Bill’s leadership, NSMA emerged as a powerful voice for the rights of the North Slave Métis. Bill led NSMA fearlessly in pursuit of a future where the North Slave Métis would be recognized and respected as a rights-bearing, self-governing Indigenous people,” NSMA said of its outgoing president.
“Bill leaves NSMA in a strong position as a true political, economic, and cultural force in the North. NSMA’s new and returning directors hope to honour Bill’s legacy by building on this position and fulfilling Bill’s vision of achieving full recognition of NSMA’s rights and self-governance.”
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Whitford, formerly the group’s vice-president, is joined by Alan Harman Jr as the incoming vice-president, Robert Mercredi as secretary-treasurer, and Stefany Bulmer, Taylin Gibault and Jonathon Whitford as directors, NSMA stated.
Enge’s “ceaseless efforts have contributed to increased and better understandings between the Crown and the NSMA, and have also resulted in doors being opened for greater economic opportunities,” Marc Whitford said in a statement.
Whitford said he wanted to “sincerely thank our mining community” for its “unflagging support to NSMA, and especially during the dark days of the Covid crises.”
To other elected directors, he said: “I look forward to working with all of you as we move forward in the months to come.”
