Former grand chief seeks Liberal Nomination

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A former grand chief of Treaty 8 has decided to throw his hat into the provincial political ring. Tony Mercredi, who also served as the elected chief of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation between 1990 and 1995, announced in December that he would be seeking the Liberal nomination for the huge Athabasca-Wabasca riding.

"I've been a non-partisan Liberal for a long time," Mercredi said. "Which is to say that I haven't participate (in the party) except by voting."

Mercredi said that he's the only candidate for the nomination, as far as he knew.

"I've done everything else," he said. "I've been a chief, been a grand chief. There are a lot of thing that I don't like going on in provincial politics today, particularly with healthy, education and social development

"I think it's time for a change," he continued. "It's time to give power back to the people. There has to be q process in place to hear from the people. In Alberta for the last few years, there's been no consistency, no plan. Things should be done in ways that don't hurt the people so much."

Mercredi played a part in the Charlottetown constitutional process, and believes that the package's failure did not mean a waster effort. Much of the work done in that campaign has benefited Native communities over the last few years.