‘I’m proud to say it can happen’: Desjarlais talks about the importance of representation after election victory in Edmonton Griesbach

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Blake Desjarlais is making history in more ways than one.

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The new Member of Parliament turned Edmonton Griesbach orange for the first time this week.

He is also the first Métis deputy elected in the province.

But for him, the most important part of his victory is having the opportunity to bring a new representation to Ottawa as the first two-spirit MP in Canadian history.

“Being a young indigenous person who has two spirits, being chosen in many ways was like breaking a huge barrier in which so many people, whether they are young, indigenous, of two spirits or all, have to think, can we participate in society? Can we do these things? These yes questions, but I’m proud to say that it can happen, ”Desjarlais told Postmedia in an interview Thursday.

“And never let them tell you they can’t because I think I am at least a testament to the value of indigenous peoples, the hard work we do and our love for the country, so I think it is in many ways, a moment of great pride “.

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Desjarlais ousted incumbent Conservative MP Kerry Diotte, who had been in office since its inception in 2015, after a neck-to-neck race in Monday’s federal election, beating the Conservative by 1,468 votes after all ballots were counted. by mail.

Waiting for the official results was “torture,” he said, but the team was brought to the celebration once they realized they had done something historic.

Desjarlais’ victory earned the NDP a second orange seat in the city, joining Heather McPherson, who was re-elected at Edmonton Strathcona.

The 27-year-old, who identifies as having both a masculine and feminine spirit, said representation seemed to matter to some voters in the Edmonton Griesbach race. As he knocked on the door, he came across some indigenous voters who were voting for the first time.

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“It was great to see the faces of the indigenous people lit up,” Desjarlais said. “A lot of them had questions like, ‘I’ve never voted before, how do I vote?’ And before Election Day, particularly advanced polls, that’s when I had a feeling that things were going to be dramatically different, that indigenous peoples, people of color, people who are normally marginalized in our society wanted to vote. “.

Looking at his new position, Desjarlais said that supporting those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic is his first priority.

“Right now, it’s about defending public health workers,” he said. “This pandemic and COVID-19 in Alberta has been a tremendous problem. We have seen such a lack of representation from Jason Kenney, a lack of leadership from the Alberta caucus in the PCU to really deal with and manage the health crisis that we are currently experiencing. “

NDP opposition leader Rachel Notley congratulated McPherson and Desjarlais during a media presentation on Tuesday.

“I think Blake is one of the first, if not the first, indigenous dual-spirit MP to be elected to the House of Commons and I think that’s really exciting and I think both he and Heather will be very good voices for the locals. of Alberta when it comes to advocating for healthcare, childcare, pharmacy care and worker support, ”Notley said.

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Reference-edmontonjournal.com

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