Jaime Battiste facts for kids

Jaime Battiste MP (born 1979) is a Canadian politician who was elected to represent the riding of Sydney—Victoria in the House of Commons of Canada as a member of the Liberal Party in the 2019 Canadian federal election. He is the first Mi'kmaw Member of Parliament in Canada.

Early life and education

Battiste is the son of Chickasaw legal scholar James (Sákéj) Youngblood Henderson and Miꞌkmaq scholar Marie Battiste. Battiste is a graduate of Dalhousie Law School.

Battiste spent his formative years in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, graduating from Evan Hardy Collegiate in 1997.

Political career

In April 2019, Battiste announced he was seeking the Liberal nomination in Sydney—Victoria for the 2019 federal election. He won the nomination on July 13, 2019.

In early October 2019 Battiste created controversy when comments he previously made on social media were reported. .....

Battiste apologized for the comments. Liberal leader Justin Trudeau refused to remove him as the Liberal candidate.

On October 21, 2019, Battiste was elected as the Member of Parliament in Sydney—Victoria becoming the first Mi'kmaq Member of Parliament.

On December 3, 2021, Battiste was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.

Electoral record