Robert-Falcon Ouellette facts for kids

Robert-Falcon Ouellette (born November 22, 1979) is a Canadian politician, professor, and veteran. From 2015 to 2019, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of Canada, representing the area of Winnipeg Centre. An MP is a person elected to represent the people of their area, called a riding, in the country's government. He has also run for Mayor of Winnipeg two times.

Ouellette has a rich heritage and is of Cree, Métis, French, and English descent. He has served for over 29 years in the Canadian Forces. Before entering politics, he was a community organizer and worked at a university. He is also an associate professor at the University of Ottawa, where he teaches about Indigenous education.

In 2025, Ouellette made history by becoming the first Indigenous Knowledge Keeper in the Canadian Armed Forces. This role is similar to a chaplain, providing spiritual guidance from an Indigenous perspective.

Early Life and Education

Ouellette is from the Red Pheasant Cree Nation in Saskatchewan but grew up in Calgary. His father, Jimmy, is of Cree and Métis heritage and attended a residential school as a child. His mother, Sharon, moved to Canada from England in 1974.

Growing up, Ouellette's family faced many hardships. His mother was determined to give him a better future and enrolled him in an elite private school called Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School. She took out a loan she couldn't afford to pay his tuition, showing how much she believed in him.

Ouellette worked hard in his studies. He earned a Bachelor's degree in music from the University of Calgary. He later earned two Master's degrees and a PhD in anthropology from Laval University in Quebec City. He was only the second Indigenous person to earn a PhD from that university. While studying, he also worked full-time in the Canadian Army.

Military Career

Ouellette has had a long and varied career in the Canadian Armed Forces. He joined in 1996 and has served in the Royal Canadian Navy and the Canadian Army.

While in Quebec City, he was posted to the Royal 22e Regiment, a famous French-Canadian military unit. There, he learned to speak, read, and write French fluently. He also served as a Company Commander with the 5th Field Ambulance, where he helped run a base hospital.

He was the first Member of Parliament since World War II to serve in the military reserves at the same time he was an MP. He continues to serve in the Primary Reserves.

Political Career

Before becoming an MP, Ouellette was involved in local politics. In 2005, he ran for a spot on the city council in Quebec City but narrowly lost.

Running for Mayor of Winnipeg

Ouellette ran for mayor of Winnipeg in 2014 and again in 2022. In his campaigns, he focused on making Winnipeg a better city for children, improving public transit, and addressing social issues. In 2014, he finished in third place.

Member of Parliament

In the 2015 Canadian federal election, Ouellette was elected as the MP for Winnipeg Centre. He won with over 55% of the vote, defeating the longtime MP for the area.

As an MP, Ouellette was known for voting based on what the people in his riding wanted, even if it meant disagreeing with his own political party, the Liberal Party. This is rare in Canadian politics, where MPs usually vote along party lines. He voted against government bills more than 20 times. However, he still voted with his party 87% of the time.

He was the only Liberal MP to vote against a bill about medically assisted dying, saying it went against his spiritual beliefs and could harm Indigenous peoples.

Working for Indigenous Peoples

As an MP, Ouellette worked hard on issues important to Indigenous communities. He was the chair of the Indigenous Caucus, a group of Indigenous MPs and Senators.

Champion for Indigenous Languages

Ouellette fought for the right to use Indigenous languages in the House of Commons of Canada. In May 2017, he gave the first full speech in an Indigenous language (Cree) in the House's history. At first, there was no translation service available.

Because of his efforts, the House of Commons changed its rules. In 2019, he became the first MP to speak an Indigenous language with live translation provided for everyone to understand.

Improving Child Welfare

Ouellette promised to reform Canada's child welfare system. He worked to create a new law, Bill C-92, which became law in 2019. This law recognizes the right of Indigenous peoples to have control over child and family services for their own communities. It allows them to care for their children in ways that are culturally appropriate.

The law also legally recognizes "customary adoption," a traditional way Indigenous communities care for children. This was personally important to Ouellette, as one of his own children was adopted in this way.

Protecting Indigenous Women

Ouellette worked with Senator Lillian Dyck on a bill to give more protection to Indigenous women who are victims of violent crime. Although the bill did not pass on its own, its ideas were later included in another government bill.

Personal Life

Ouellette lives in Winnipeg near Central Park, Winnipeg. He speaks English and French and is learning Cree and Mandarin. He is also a talented musician who plays the trumpet and euphonium.

Electoral record

Federal

Provincial

Municipal