Television star to shine for federal Liberals

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North of 60-television star Tina Keeper has been recruited by the Liberal Party to run in the northern Manitoba riding of Churchill in the next federal election. She will face incumbent Bev Desjarlais who was elected to the riding as a NDP member, but who currently sits as an independent. She recently lost the party's endorsement for opposing the same-sex marriage legislation. The NDP nod now goes to Niki Ashton, the daughter of an NDP cabinet minister in the Manitoba government.

Keeper was born in northern Manitoba, but has a high profile in the national Aboriginal community. She portrayed Const. Michelle Kenidi, an RCMP officer in the fictional community of Lynx River on the CBC drama North of 60.Her role earned her a Gemini award in 1997.

Keeper is also a National Aboriginal Achievement Award winner, and for a time co-hosted the Sharing Circle with Lisa Meeches.