Bernadette Smith joins growing list of Indigenous, female MLAs at swearing-in

After a prayer spoken byfellow Indigenous New Democrat Wab Kinew and a drum circleperformance, Bernadette Smith was sworn in Monday afternoon as the newest member of Manitoba's legislative assembly.

Smith held an eagle feather as she pledged allegiance to the Queen during the ceremony.

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The missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls advocateis one of a short but growing list of Indigenous womenwho now sit in Manitoba's legislature.

"I just want to acknowledge how far we've come, but how far we still have to go," Smith said after her swearing-in ceremony.

"Prior to the 1950s, Wab wouldn't be here saying a prayer, he wouldn't be speaking in his language, we wouldn't have this drum group here."

Along with Smith, there are fourother Indigenous female MLAsin Manitoba fellow NDP caucus members Amanda Lathlin and Nahanni Fontaineas well as Manitoba Liberalleadership candidate Judy Klassen and Progressive ConservativeMLAColleen Mayer who isMtis.

Smith won the NDP stronghold of Point Douglas June 13 in a byelection after Kevin Chief vacated the seat.

In her aspeech Monday,she said Manitoba New Democrats are gearing up to be a stronger force of opposition to the governing Progressive Conservatives.

"We're going to take this government to task," Smith said. "They ran on a different campaign then what they're doing."

Interim NDP Leader Flor Marcelino said it is Smith's passion that will make her a great representative for Point Douglas.

"Bernadette is the kind of MLA who makes me very excited about our party and our province," said Marcelino.

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Bernadette Smith new MLA for Point Douglas

7 years ago

Duration 1:12

After a prayer read by a fellow Indigenous New Democrat Wab Kinew and a drum circle performance, Bernadette Smith was sworn in Monday afternoon as the newest member of Manitoba's legislative assembly.