Saskatoon Tribal Council’s Mark Arcand re-elected as tribal chief

Tribal Chief Mark Arcand has been re-elected to a third term at the Saskatoon Tribal Council.

Arcand, a member of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, was first elected as tribal chief in 2017, following two terms as a vice chief. Prior to that, he worked with the tribal council as labour force development partnership manager and co-ordinator of youth sport, culture and recreation initiatives.

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“I want to thank the Chiefs and Councils of the member communities for their trust,” Arcand said in a statement after Thursday’s vote.

Arcand said his role is centred around advocacy, and his mandate comes from the chiefs of the seven member nations.

“The people are going to be rewarded by all of us working together, and that’s where the Saskatoon Tribal Council is; we’re united, and we work together to help people,” Arcand said.

Arcand, who has focused on addressing the intergenerational trauma caused by residential schools during his career, has also been closely involved with the tribal council’s Emergency Wellness Centre, a 106-bed shelter in the city’s Fairhaven neighbourhood.

The tribal council acts as a representative body for seven First Nations, and works to improve the quality of life for First Nations people through community and industry partnerships.