Meet the Candidates

Ashley Iserhoff

For Deputy Grand Chief

Why are you the best candidate for Deputy Grand Chief?

The situation in the Cree Nation has a lot of statistics that are much a concern to me and especially to young people. I’ve worked with young people in my community and throughout the Cree Nation for 17 years and my heart has been with them during that time.

I think it’s time for someone who’s been working with young people for a number of years to be part of getting them involved in the process of decision making and make progress with the Cree youth and to have a leader who will be there for them.

In order to bring hope to the people, they have to be involved and not excluded.

In your opinion, what is the single most important issue facing the Cree Nation today?

Right now I believe we have to come up with firm commitments from everyone to secure permanent positions in our communities. Economic development is a very important aspect for Cree people to live comfortably in terms of living in their homes and in the community. It also improves the social aspect of the community when people are stable with their positions.

If you could change one thing in the Cree Nation today, what would it be?

I think one thing I would change is to have every age group to be involved with the way we govern ourselves. In the past if you compare it to the life when we used to live off the land, everyone had a very important role to play in the camp. The Elders had an importance to play to bring food or to have peace in the camp area.

The women had a responsibility too, making sure everyone was dressed properly and that the children and her husband and family were doing well. The child had a responsibility to be part of the camp.

When you’re in the bush it’s a different lifestyle, everyone has an important responsibility to play. That’s one of the things that we have to bring back, to get everyone involved and make our communities healthier and create the map for the future.

What are the three most important things you hope to accomplish in your term?

Whatever office I go into it’s not just one person who does anything it’s people. In order to make change happen I think we need people to be a part of the process and solutions for the Cree Nation regarding what’s going on in the communities.

We have to have everyone involved and I think that’s what is different in my campaign, in my experience with the young I believe that they have the answers to what’s going on with them. I think we have to have them and our Elders involved at all times. The Elders have to bring back the spirit of what a family is.

The Residential school legacy is a big issue. As I said before, economic and social issues are very important and we need to find meaningful permanent positions within our communities.

It’s good to have jobs elsewhere, but keeping them on the territory keeps families together. Establishing businesses in the communities is a much healthier environment for our children.

What makes you proud to be Cree?

Throughout my past experience as Deputy Chief, as a councilor and as Youth Grand Chief, I got a chance to travel around the world speaking at different assemblies or conferences and one of the big differences between the Cree Nation and other Nations is many have lost their languages. When I come home to the Cree Nation I see 99% of our people still speaking Cree. We don’t just talk about our culture, we still practice it and we still live off the land and that’s one thing that makes me really proud to know that we still live that life and still speak our language and practice our culture.