Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak President Melanie Omeniho Awarded King Charles III Coronation Medal

OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 23, 2024 /CNW/ - Last month, Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak (LFMO) President Melanie Omeniho was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of her significant contributions to Reconciliation work across Canada.

Omeniho, one of 59 "exemplary Canadians" receiving the King Charles III Coronation Medal,   was presented the award by the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, in a ceremony which took place at the Citadelle of Quebec on Sept. 20, 2024.

"I am so honoured and humbled to be acknowledged in this way," says Omeniho, "but it is a long line of Metis Matriarchs that blazed the trail before me so that I was able to achieve these types of accomplishments."

A descendant of the Métis community of Lac Ste. Anne and a proud member of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Omeniho has been a tireless advocate for the rights of Metis women and youth, and a champion of Metis self-governance and self-determination. Since beginning her career in political activism in 1986, Omeniho has advocated for the specific needs and priorities of Metis women through her work on legislation such as the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, the Meech Lake Accord, the Charlottetown Accord, and the Kelowna Accord. She was elected as the LFMO President in 2010. In this role, she has led the organization in initiatives surrounding MMIWG2S+ and Metis women's health and wellness, justice and equity, and employment and education.

LFMO speaks as the national and international voice for the Women of the Métis Nation across the Métis Motherland, spanning Ontario westward to British Columbia. Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak aims to consult, promote, and represent the personal, spiritual, social, cultural, political, and economic interests and aspirations of women and gender diverse people.

SOURCE Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak

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