Standing on the banks of the Bow River in Treaty 7 territory on Sunday, Marilyn North Peigan announced her candidacy for Calgary’s upcoming municipal election.
The Blackfoot woman and member of the Piikani Nation is running in Ward 7, which includes the downtown core and Chinatown.
She made the announcement on Feb. 14 — which is the annual Women’s Memorial March honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls — with North Peigan explaining she chose the date as a tribute to the national inquiry.
North Peigan said she wants to amp up diversity and improve representation on council.
“We need to have different perspectives, and we need to have people who reflect our community sitting at the table,” she said.
“For me, the roadmap to the future is in reconciliation, and those are the issues that we should be discussing as a community. Doesn’t matter what colour you are; we all are treaty people.”
Using the Reconciliation Bridge as the backdrop of her announcement was no accident. North Peigan explained that the bridge was renamed in 2017 following recommendations in the White Goose Flying Report, which was Calgary’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
North Peigan said she was part of the citizen advisory committee that produced the White Goose Flying Report.
She was appointed to the Calgary Police Commission in 2017.
“I have proven to be an experienced and effective community builder here in Calgary,” she said.
Heather McRae and Daria Bogdanov are also running in Ward 7, according to Elections Calgary.
Ward 7 incumbent Coun. Druh Farrell has not announced her intentions.
Calgarians vote on Oct. 18.