Mandy Gull-Masty becomes 1st Indigenous head of Indigenous Services Canada

Edzi'u Loverin · CBC News

· Posted: May 13, 2025 7:09 PM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

An MP from Northern Quebec has become the archetypal Indigenous furniture minister to clasp the portfolio liable for providing services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

Mandy Gull-Masty, who is Cree from Waswanipi Cree Nation, was named the caller curate of Indigenous Services successful Prime Minister Mark Carney's authorities connected Tuesday.

Gull-Masty, MP for the immense riding of Abitibi-Baie-James-Nunavik-Eeyou, is 1 of 28 ministers and 10 secretaries of authorities who were sworn successful astatine a ceremony Tuesday astatine Rideau Hall successful Ottawa.

She'll beryllium moving intimately with N.W.T. MP Rebecca Alty, who has been named the curate of Crown-Indigenous Relations.

Irene Neeposh, main of Waswanipi, around 625 kilometres northbound of Quebec City, found retired about Gull-Masty's caller relation from CBC News successful an interview, and said she's overjoyed.

"I'm very, precise blessed to person this news," Neeposh said. 

"I deliberation it's important that the Indigenous practice is an progressive subordinate wrong the Parliament strategy of our country."

In 2021, Gull-Masty was elected arsenic the archetypal pistillate expansive main of the Grand Council of the Crees/Cree Nation Government on a level that centred connected governance, connection and civilization arsenic good arsenic the economy. She stepped down successful March to tally for the Liberal Party successful the national election.

She's 1 of 24 rookie MPs successful Parliament.

Bill Namagoose, erstwhile enforcement manager of the Grand Council of the Crees/Cree Nation Government, said helium was amazed and pleased to perceive of Gull-Masty successful the relation and that it was "truly historical for the Cree federation and for Indigenous radical crossed Canada."

Gull-Masty is 1 of 3 Indigenous MPs sworn into Carney's furniture Tuesday.

Rebecca Chartrand, MP for Churchill-Keewatinook Aski successful bluish Manitoba, is minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and the curate liable for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.

Chartrand identifies arsenic Anishinaabe, Inninew, Dakota and Métis from Pine Creek First Nation successful Manitoba.

Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River MP Buckley Belanger, who is Métis from Île-à-la-Crosse, Sask., will service arsenic a caput of authorities for agrarian development.

Leaders nonstop congratulations

Manitoba Métis Federation President David Chartrand said three Indigenous radical successful furniture is simply a bully sign, but he'll beryllium watching closely, peculiarly connected issues of onshore claims and "Indigenous individuality theft."

"Being a caller minister, will they beryllium bold capable to rapidly determination connected precedence agendas specified arsenic the Red River Métis treaty?" Chartrand said.

"That's 1 question I'll person successful the backmost of my mind."

The national authorities signed the first-ever modern pact with a Métis authorities successful November, which formally recognizes the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) arsenic the authorities of the Red River Métis.

"It should beryllium coming successful arsenic 1 of the enactment agendas due to the fact that it was enactment connected clasp pursuing the telephone of the election," said Chartrand.

In a written statement, a spokesperson for the Métis National Council (MNC) said they are pleased to spot Indigenous members of Parliament appointed to cardinal enactment roles and look forward to enactment to heighten and beforehand rights, interests and priorities of the Métis Nation.

"These appointments correspond meaningful advancement successful advancing Indigenous practice astatine the highest levels of authorities and successful shaping our shared future," said Melissa Lagacé, MNC's manager of communications and nationalist relations.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the nationalist enactment representing Inuit successful Canada, shared a congratulatory station to societal media welcoming the inclusion of 2 First Nations members to cabinet.

"We pledge to enactment with you to physique a strong and unafraid Inuit Nunangat, and a Canada successful which Inuit and each Canadians person the accidental to thrive," the station said.

The Assembly of First Nations did not respond to a petition for remark earlier clip of publishing.