grand river Métis council
Scroll down to learn about the council and its members
members
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.
calendar
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.
documents & links
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.
GET TO KNOW YOUR COUNCIL
President: Danika Warman
Chair: Brittany Gormaly
Senator: Diane Kilby
Diane has an extensive background as a community and union activist; most particularly for Métis, 2SLGBTQ, women's and disability rights.
During her paid working career, Diane was a senior policy officer with the federal government which involved being able to read and interpret legislation, a senior union business agent and a licensed real estate salesperson.
Diane is a proud citizen of the Métis Nation of Ontario; she first learned about our heritage through the storytelling of her grandfather, Louis Napoléon Labatte. She was born and raised in Orillia and is a verified descendant from the Métis of the NW Great Lakes, Michilimackinac, Drummond Island and Killarney.
Diane has been on Council since November 2016, serving in various capacities. She is currently Council Senator and the Elder on the MNO’s 2Spirit Advisory Council.
Treasurer: Alicia Hamilton
Council History: Alicia joined council in February 2016, holding one of the Councillor positions. In September 2018, she became Chair.
Métis Ancestry: Alicia’s historic Métis homelands are Red River, Manitoba and Pembina, North Dakota. She grew up in Waterloo and did not discover her Métis ancestry until she was a teenager. It has been such a wonderful experience for her, learning about the history of her Great-Grandmother’s family, as well as learning and teaching Métis culture and history to the next generation.
Secretary: Vacant
Women's Representative: Danielle Visschedyk
Youth Representative: Vacant
Councillor: Pat St. John
Pat comes to the Grand River Métis Council with a background in Broadcasting, Marketing, Management and Education. Born in Brantford Ontario Pat began his broadcasting career as an on air personality in Hamilton and Toronto, progressing into management with Vice President positions with the CHUM group (Bell Media) McLean Hunter (Rogers), Maritime Broadcasting and Power Corporation. Here at home Pat was in management with CHYM and CKGL in Kitchener and in Guelph he was the VP/GM with MAGIC 106.1 and CJOY.
Pat also enjoyed five years as a Vice President at Conestoga College where he was responsible for Media Studies, Continuing Education and Training and Development. Pat was also the President and CEO of Shad (Waterloo) an award-winning enrichment and entrepreneurship program for high school students. Pat also likes to travel so it is no surprise that he was recently elected as President of the Board for the new Tesla University which is currently under development in Aruba.
Currently Pat is the President of Wellport Broadcasting, Niagara and Executive Producer of Holgate Productions, Toronto. What is interesting, Pat actually purchased the Niagara Radio Stations from Suzanne Rochon-Burnett. This is where he also met Tony Belcourt. Suzanne and Tony encouraged Pat to further explore his Métis roots and as they say, the rest is history. Pat is very proud to serve on Council and is constantly in awe of the experience and talent gathered around the table at the monthly meetings.
While still exploring his Métis heritage Pat’s ancestors have been verified by the MNO Registry as St. Luc Cardinal and Marguerite Desjarlais from the Metis Nation Homeland (Alberta)
Councillor: Jennifer McMillan
Councillor: Amber Poenn
our mission
To promote and preserve the Métis way of life.
To look to our elders, to attain and maintain our Métis traditions, culture, spirituality and the respect of Mother Earth.
To ensure future generations carry on this vision, we are committed to educating our Youth.
land acknowledgement
&
geographic boundary
"The Grand River Métis Council acknowledges that our office location is on the Haldimand Tract, traditionally promised to the Six Nations in 1784, and extending six miles on either side of the Grand River to Lake Erie. We acknowledge that this land has been cared for by Neutral, Anishinaabe, Mississauga of the Credit and Haudenosaunee peoples since time immemorial, continuing as long as the grass grows, as long as the sun shines and as long as the river flows.
The accompanying map is intended as an internal tool to delineate the service area of the Grand River Métis Council for MNO citizens, without asserting any claims on land or harvesting rights."
Click on the image to view and explore map
