Robert-Falcon Ouellette facts for kids

Robert-Falcon Ouellette (born November 22, 1979) is a Canadian politician. He represented the area called Winnipeg Centre in the House of Commons of Canada from 2015 to 2019. The House of Commons is where Canada's main laws are made. He has also run twice to become the Mayor of Winnipeg.

Robert-Falcon Ouellette has a diverse background. He is part Cree, Métis, French, and English. He served in the Canadian Forces for over 25 years. Before entering politics, he was a community organizer and worked at a university.

Early Life and Education

Robert-Falcon Ouellette grew up in Calgary, Alberta. His family comes from the Red Pheasant Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. His father is Cree and Métis. His mother moved to Canada from England.

Life was sometimes hard for Ouellette when he was young. His family faced poverty, and he sometimes went hungry. One summer, he even slept in parks in Winnipeg because he was homeless.

His mother wanted a better future for him. She helped him get into Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School, a special private school. She took out a loan to pay for his schooling.

Ouellette studied music at the University of Calgary. He earned his first degree there in 2001. Later, he earned two master's degrees from Laval University in Quebec City. In 2011, he completed his PhD in anthropology from Laval University. He was only the second Indigenous person to earn a PhD from that university in 350 years.

While studying, he also worked full-time in the Canadian Army. He learned to speak, read, and write French fluently. This happened when he was part of a French-Canadian military unit called the Royal 22e Regiment.

Military and Community Work

From 2007 to 2010, Ouellette was a Company Commander in the 5th Field Ambulance. This is a medical service unit. He helped manage the base hospital.

He retired from the Royal Canadian Navy as a Petty Officer 1st class. He still serves in the Primary Reserves with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles as a Warrant Officer.

In 2011, he moved to Winnipeg. He became the director of Aboriginal Focus Programs at the University of Manitoba. He was the first Member of Parliament (MP) to also serve as a non-commissioned member of the Canadian Forces. He was also the first First Nations person on the House of Commons Standing Committee of Finance.

Running for Mayor

In 2005, Ouellette first ran for a city council seat in Quebec City. He lost that election by a small number of votes.

In 2014, he ran for Mayor of Winnipeg. He finished third in that election. He wanted Winnipeg to be a "Child Friendly City." He also focused on improving public transport and helping people with different backgrounds.

In 2022, Ouellette ran for Mayor of Winnipeg again. His ideas included making the city safer and improving public transit. He also wanted to help people dealing with mental health issues.

Serving in Parliament

In the 2015 election, Robert-Falcon Ouellette won the election for Winnipeg Centre. He defeated a long-time Member of Parliament, Pat Martin. Ouellette won with over 55 percent of the votes.

After he was elected, some thought he might become the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. This is a very important role in the government.

Voting for His Community

Ouellette became known for voting based on what his community wanted. He often said he was elected to be the voice of Winnipeg citizens in Ottawa. He believed his job was not to tell his citizens what Ottawa wanted.

He voted against his own party's ideas many times. This is unusual for a Canadian MP. Most MPs vote the way their party tells them to. If they don't, they can face problems or even be removed from their party. By 2019, he had voted against government laws 21 times. Even so, he still voted with the government most of the time.

For example, he voted to protect animals. He also voted against a law that would have forced Canada Post workers back to work during a strike.

Helping Indigenous Peoples

Ouellette was the leader of the Indigenous Caucus. This group brings together Indigenous MPs and Senators. He also served on important committees about health and finance.

Indigenous Languages

Since 2015, Ouellette has worked to support Indigenous language rights. On May 4, 2017, he gave the first full speech in an Indigenous language (Cree) in the House of Commons. He spoke about violence against Indigenous women and girls.

At first, the House of Commons did not allow his speech to be translated live. But after much discussion, the rules changed in 2018. On January 28, 2019, Ouellette was the first MP to speak in an Indigenous language with live translation. Later, he helped arrange a 20-minute debate entirely in Cree, even with non-Indigenous MPs taking part.

Child Welfare Laws

In 2015, Ouellette promised to change child welfare laws in Canada. He saw how many Indigenous children were being taken from their families. In 2019, a new law called Bill C-92 was introduced. This law helps Indigenous governments take charge of child and family services for their own communities.

This law means Indigenous peoples can care for their children in ways that fit their culture. It also includes "customary adoption." This is a traditional way of adoption in Indigenous communities. Ouellette felt this was important because one of his own children was adopted in a customary Cree way. Bill C-92 became law on January 1, 2020.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous People

Starting in 2016, Ouellette worked with Senator Lillian Dyck on a new law. This law aimed to protect Indigenous women from violent crime. Although their specific bill did not pass, its ideas were later included in a larger federal law.

Other Important Laws

In May 2016, Ouellette introduced a bill to create a special day. This day would be called Indian Residential School Reconciliation and Memorial Day. This bill helped create the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in 2021. This day helps Canadians remember the harm caused by residential schools.

In December 2016, he proposed a law to ban asbestos. Asbestos is a dangerous material that can cause serious health problems. His work helped pressure the government to ban asbestos in Canada. This helps keep many people safe.

He also worked to make the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) a Canadian law. UNDRIP is a set of rights for Indigenous peoples around the world. It became law in Canada in 2021.

Personal Life

Robert-Falcon Ouellette lives in Winnipeg. He speaks French and English. He is also learning Cree and Mandarin. He is a talented musician and plays the trumpet and euphonium.