Gerald Cunningham, President

Gerald was born and raised on the Peavine Metis Settlement and later moved to the East Prairie Metis Settlement where he presently resides.  Gerald married Lorraine LaRiviere in 1976 and they have three children: Jerry, Tara and Jarrod.  As well as raising their own children, Gerald and Lorraine have opened up their home to children that are in Foster Care. To date, a total of 27 children have lived with them from time to time. Gerald has vast work experience in the lumber industry, oil field, and childcare.

From 1990-2001, Gerald worked with the Metis Settlements in areas such as fire protection, disaster services, occupational health and safety, community and business planning. He was elected as the Métis Settlements General Council Vice President in September 2001 and served in that capacity until November 2007 at which time he was elected to President.  During his 3 terms as Vice President, Gerald’s portfolio had the responsibility of Land and Resources, Oil and Gas, Infrastructure, Business Planning, Fire Protection, Environment and Wildlife Management.

The President of the Metis Settlements General Council is the political representative for carrying out the decisions and legislated duties of the General Council.  His portfolio consists of establishing and maintaining government relationships and ensures that progress is made on behalf of the Métis Settlements as well as carrying out the decisions and legislated duties of the General Council.  He looks forward to the challenges that lie ahead and moving the Alberta Métis Settlements a step closer to achieving their goals of self-reliance and self-determination.

He presides as the Chair at the meeting of the Executive Officers, the General Council Assembly, Board of Directors, Settlement Sooniyaw Corporation and the Governance Standing Committee.  He also sits on the Joint Planning Committee which has representatives from the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and MSGC.

Allan Wells, Vice-President

Allan Wells was the elected as Vice President of the Metis Settlement General Council in November 2007. As the Vice President his portfolio consists of Land and Resources, Oil and Gas, Infrastructure, Environment and Wildlife Management.  He chairs the Land, Infrastructure and Housing Standing Committee.

He was born in Cold Lake, Alberta, on November 26, 1953 and completed Grade 11 in 1973 and married his lovely wife, Barbara, on August 14, 1976. He joined the ESSO team with Cold Lake ESSO Resources in 1978 as a contractor and was hired as a permanent ESSO employee in on May 17th, 1981 and spent six years with the company. After his employ with ESSO, he was hired on with AMOCO Canada and worked on the Elizabeth Metis Settlement at the Soars Lake project and moved to the Wolf Lake project in 1992 and stayed on until 1997. He resigned and entered the political arena with the Elizabeth Metis Settlement as an elected official in late 1997.

Barbara and Allan have three beautiful children, Tracy is the oldest and lives in Comox, B.C. and Cherysh and Jeff are still in school. They are also blessed with three grandchildren, Jason, James, and Olivia.

Allan has always enjoyed living on the  Elizabeth Metis Settlement from 1963 to the present day and sees the community that fits in nicely with the surrounding area of northeastern Alberta.

He gives thanks to the Metis leaders of the past who worked so hard with so little to achieve what we are enjoying today, along with the Alberta Government who recognized the Metis people, who were here in the beginning of our Great Nation Canada.

Susan Cardinal Lamouche, Elected Secretary

Susan is from the Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement, and has been the Elected Secretary since 2003. She has been involved with the Settlements since 1988 where she sat on the Legislative Drafting Team, and has held positions with the Transition Commission in governance and the Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement where she was the Executive Secretary for 5 years.

Susan also had the privilege of being the Metis Settlements Child and Family Services (Region 10) Co-Chair and board members for 7 years, and appointed as a Board of Director for the IAAW (Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women).

Over and above her duties as an Executive Member, Susan’s portfolio is Community and Social Development. This includes the Tri-Partite Agreement, Programs and Services such as Health, Education (K-12 and Post Secondary) Justice, Elder’s, Child and Family, Youth and the Census. Susan chairs the Tri-partite Steering Committee and the sub committee’s of Education and Training and Community and Social Development along with being a member of many different committees’ and working groups throughout Alberta. Her commitment and dedication towards the Metis Settlements has made her elected position a gratifying opportunity, in which she continues to strive for self sufficiency and autonomy for the Metis Settlements.

Denise White, Treasurer

Denise White has been a member of the Kikino Metis Settlement for the past 32 years where she served 4 years as a Council Member.  As the Elected Treasurer, Denise is responsible for the financial portfolio of the Metis Settlements General Council (MSGC).  She is the chair of the Investment Committee and Financial & Economic Development Standing Committee of the MSGC.  She also sits on the Joint Planning Committee between the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and MSGC.

Denise has extensive experience in the finance and accounting field through various capacities with the federal government, the Kikino Metis Settlement and the Metis Settlements General Council.  Denise’s extensive experience and college education benefit the Metis Settlements in her role as the Treasurer where she oversees the Future Fund, Settlement Sooniyaw Corporation and Economic Development initiatives. 

Denise’s greatest accomplishment in life is being married to Gerald White and having two sons; Travis and Trevor.