Gary Merasty facts for kids

Gary Merasty was born on September 22, 1964, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is a Canadian politician. He used to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Liberal Party. He represented the area of Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River in northern Saskatchewan.

Before becoming an MP, Gary Merasty was the Grand Chief of the Prince Albert Grand Council two times. He is a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, which is part of Treaty 6 territory. He made history as the first First Nations person with Status to be elected in Saskatchewan.

Growing Up

Gary Merasty was born on September 22, 1964, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He grew up in Pelican Narrows, Saskatchewan. His mother, Theresa, and his aunts raised him there.

Becoming a Politician

In the 2006 Canadian federal election, Gary Merasty ran for MP. It was a very close election. He won against the Conservative MP, Jeremy Harrison. The first count showed Merasty won by 106 votes.

Jeremy Harrison asked for a recount. A judge confirmed Merasty's win, but by a smaller margin of 67 votes. Harrison claimed there were problems with the election. However, Elections Canada investigated and found no wrongdoing.

His Time in Politics

As a Member of Parliament, Gary Merasty worked on several important groups. These groups are called House of Commons Standing Committees.

• He was on the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.
• He also served on the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.
• He was part of the Legislative Committee on Bill C-2.
• He also sat on the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

Working with the Liberal Party

Within the Liberal Party, Gary Merasty had special roles. He was an associate critic for Indian Affairs. He also worked as a Special Advisor for Aboriginal Outreach. This meant he helped connect with Indigenous communities.

Supporting the Kelowna Accord

On September 29, 2006, Gary Merasty proposed a motion. This motion was about putting the Kelowna Accord into action. The Kelowna Accord was a plan to improve the lives of Indigenous peoples.

The federal Conservative government was against this motion. But it still passed in the House of Commons. The vote was 160 for the motion and 113 against it.

Apology for Residential Schools

Gary Merasty also introduced a very important motion. He asked the government to formally apologize to survivors of the Canadian residential school system. These schools caused great harm to Indigenous children.

He first asked for this apology on November 7, 2006. He asked again on March 27, 2007. This was after Jim Prentice, a government minister, said an apology was not needed. Prentice thought the schools were only for education.

After Merasty's motion, Minister Prentice announced the Conservatives would support it. This meant the apology passed with everyone agreeing (257-0). It was a big step towards healing.

Leaving Politics

In July 2007, Gary Merasty announced he would leave his MP role. He stepped down on August 31, 2007. He decided to work in the private business world instead.

A few months later, he became a Vice President at Cameco Corporation. In 2013, he was named president and CEO of Des Nedhe Development.

Awards and Boards

Gary Merasty has received several awards for his work and service:

• 1996—Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Pelican Narrows Community Service Award.
• 2006—Eagle Feather News Newsmaker of the Year.
• 2012—Diamond Jubilee Medal.

He also received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2004). And he got the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan (2005). These were for his service to the people of Saskatchewan.

Merasty has served on many boards, helping different organizations:

• Board of Directors for Northwest Company.
• Board of Directors for Children's Hospital of Saskatchewan (2010 to present).
• Board of Directors for Canada West Foundation (2008 to present).
• Chair of Northern Career Quest (2008 to present).
• Board of Directors for Enterprise Saskatchewan (2008–11).
• Chair of Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Association (SIGA) (2000–05).
• Board of Directors for Dakota Dunes Golf and Country Club (2003–05).
• Board of Directors for Saskatoon Airport Authority (2003–05).
• Board of Directors for Western First Nations Hospitality (2002–05).
• Chair and director for Northern Broadband Initiative (2002–05).
• Chair and director for Westwind Aviation Ltd. (2001–05).
• Chair and director for Northern Development Board (1999-2004).
• Chair and director for Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT) and Saskatchewan Indian Training Assessment Group (SITAG) (1999-2005).

Education

Gary Merasty studied at the University of Saskatchewan. He earned both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Education. In 2007, the University of Saskatchewan named him one of their "100 Alumni of Influence."

In 2005, he received an honorary diploma. This was in Entrepreneurship and Small Business from the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology.