Claire Sault elected new Chief of Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation near Hamilton

The tributes continue to pour in for outgoing Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Chief Stacey Laforme but the First Nation just southwest of Hamilton has a new Gimaa after Claire Sault won Saturday’s election, besting Margaret Sault by just nine votes.

Claire Sault, who served on the previous MCFN Council, working in economic growth and job creation, earned 220 votes to 211 for her rival Margaret Sault, who has worked for the band in some capacity for 46 years.

Karen King finished third in the race with 61 votes.

Seven councillors were also elected, led by Irma Ferrell (221 votes) and incumbent Veronica King-Jamieson (206 votes). Others earning a spot on Band Council included incumbent Fawn Sault, Leslie Maracle, Larry Sault, Jesse Herkimer and Bill Laforme.

The City of Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto and the Town of Oakville all paid tribute to poet-Chief Stacey Laforme, who served on Council since 1999 and as Gimaa (Chief) since 2015.

• “We will treasure his wisdom and poetry and commit ourselves to Reconciliation. Our relationship with the MCFN will continue to grow, thanks to his efforts over many years” – City of Mississauga
• “Congratulations Gimaa Stacey Laforme on your retirement. Thank you for your dedicated leadership.” – Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown
• “I look forward to continuing to strengthen the relationship between the City of Toronto and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.” – Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow
• “We thank Gimaa Laforme for his years of service to the community. Chi-miigwech and sincere congratulations.” – Town of Oakville

Laforme’s tenure was marked by major steps towards reconciliation from the federal government – as well as grief after the discovery of mass graves on the grounds of former residential schools.

The MCFN praised Laforme for “sharing our story at every opportunity across our Treaty lands and territory for the past eight years, giving MCFN a respected and notable voice across our lands and in many areas across Ontario and Canada.”

The statement from the First Nation also declared that Laforme had built relationships with municipal, provincial, federal governments, and educational institutions that “have allowed us to have our voices heard and rights exercised.”

“Gimaa’s vision of inclusive leadership built through respect, education and cultural awareness, has solidified the path forward for our First Nation.”

Locally, perhaps his greatest achievement was the adoption of a new constitution, a “foundational document” that he believes will help lead the First Nation towards self-sufficiency and sovereignty and away from the archaic Indian Act.

The constitution, ratified by MCFN Council in May, gives the band jurisdiction over economic development and land use, environmental stewardship, public works, social services and education, which is now offered in the Anishinaabemoin language.

New Gimaa Sault is on record as saying the new constitution was drafted too quickly, however.

A noted poet, Laforme published his first collection of poems – ‘Living in the Tall Grass: Poems of Reconciliation’ – in 2017.

Gimaa Stacey Laforme meeting newly crowned King Charles at a garden party in Edinburgh, Scotland last July. It was the first meeting between an Anishaanbe Chief and a reigning British monarch in 160 years