Wiikwemkoong Votes 2026

Meet the candidates for Wiikwemkoong Ogimaa

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Rachel Manitowabi

Rachel Manitowabi is running for Ogimaa of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, saying “Miigwech to everyone for your outreach of support and to the band members who placed their confidence in me by nomination. It would be my honour to serve once again as your chief.”

Ms. Manitowabi served as Ogimaa of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory from August 20, 2022, to August 17, 2024.

“Serving our Nation has been one of the greatest privileges of my life,” she said. “During my previous term as ogimaa, I worked alongside council, administration, elders, youth, staff and community members to move important projects forward while always striving to lead with honesty, integrity, respect and accountability. Much has been accomplished, but much more work is needed.”

“Our nation deserves leadership that listens, consults and communicates openly,” she said. “Together, we can continue building a stronger, healthier and more prosperous future for every member—whether living on or off reserve. I am asking for your trust once again because I believe we are strongest when every voice is heard because every voice matters.”

“Leadership is about service,” continued Ms. Manitowabi. “It is about listening before deciding. It is about respecting our elders, supporting our youth, creating opportunities for our families and ensuring every member has a voice.”

Housing, notes Ms. Manitowabi, is a huge issue in the community. “Too many of our members, both on-reserve and off-reserve, need a home but cannot because of housing shortages and limited opportunities,” she said. “Our children should have the opportunity to build their futures here at home.”

“Nearly 60 percent of Wiikwemkoong’s membership lives away from the community,” continues Ms. Manitowabi. “Although many live elsewhere for work, education or family reasons, they remain an important part of our nation,” she said. “I will work to ensure off-reserve members are informed, engaged, and represented through an off-reserve advisory council, a dedicated off-reserve liaison and regular virtual community meetings.”

Ms. Manitowabi said that every investment made with community resources should reflect the priorities of the people and include meaningful communication and accountability. “Economic development should create jobs, support local businesses, generate long-term revenue and benefit future generations,” she said. But that must be accomplished through transparent leadership, including community consultation before major investments, quarterly financial reports; open council meeting agenda items, except where legally required, for example child welfare or when requested by band members for privacy reasons.

Further, there should be public reporting on major projects and a clear explanation of council decisions.

On the healing and culture front, Ms. Manitowabi said that language, elders, youth must be priorities, including mental health, child welfare transformation, food security and cultural revitalization.

But that the community must also seek economic prosperity. “Jobs first,” she said, with “more local business, training, community-based investment and ensure economic decisions are transparent and benefit future generations.”

“Together, we can restore trust, strengthen our Nation and build a future that honours our ancestors while creating opportunities for generations yet to come,” she said. “I would be honoured to earn your support and your vote.”

Tim Ominika

Current Ogimaa (Chief) Tim Ominika is again running for the highest office in Wiikwemkoong, hoping to build on the achievements over the past two years. The seasoned politician, who spent 10 years on council before being elected chief, is proud of the many initiatives that he and Council have put in motion or completed.

“I’m deeply honoured to have been nominated again, and I look forward to building on our work so far,” says Chief Ominika. “The expanded four-year term will give us the opportunity to really build on the strong foundations we put in place and see through some of our longer-term goals.”

While the list of accomplishments is long, the Chief points to three areas that have made a notable difference in the community. The first is elder care. After more than a decade of negotiations, $45 million in provincial funding, as well as additional federal funding, was secured for a 96-bed long term care facility. Construction is now underway with a tentative completion date in 2028.

Next on his list is community safety. The Chief oversaw the completion of a 10-year, $112 million policing agreement that resulted in the number of uniformed officers doubling from 24 to 48. The agreement ensures that community safety will be front and centre for the foreseeable future.

“We’ve already seen a significant drop in calls for service as a result of a more pro-active policing strategy,” says Chief Ominika. “On a per capita basis, Wiikwemkoong was ranked seventh nationally in calls for service prior to the expansion. Today, we’re ranked 47th in calls per service. That shows in real terms that people are feeling safer.”

In addition to the increased police funding, Chief and Council brought in “The Safety Law”, a first of its kind law allowing those charged with serious offences to be removed from the community for up to two years.

“It’s important to note that the law is not meant as a punishment,” says Chief Ominika. “We’re ensuring public safety while providing assistance to those who have been removed, so that one day they can hopefully return as contributing members of the community.”

Third, Chief and Council secured funding for a feasibility study to replace the community’s watermain (built in 1969) and extend potable water to more remote areas of the Territory.

Chief Ominika was also behind the push to make the Child and Family Services reform program a regional program instead of a national one. As a result, Ontario 91��˵��s received an $8.5 billion settlement spread over 10 years. “The Ontario Final Agreement” was signed in May of 2026.

Moving forward, the Chief’s priorities include education, housing and support for elders, while ensuring that the Nation invests wisely to support future generations.

In the education portfolio, the Chief is advocating for a new funding agreement for primary and post-secondary education to cover infrastructure, university tuition, special needs education and trades training.

In housing, Chief Ominika and Council oversaw the building of almost 50 housing units over the last term, and he wants to accelerate the pace of new home construction in the next term.

For seniors, the Chief is exploring a Wiikwemkoong- funded pension plan that will see elders, both on and off the Territory, receive a monthly allowance.

To ensure financial stability for future generations, the Chief points to the Wiikwemkoong Connect Centre in Edmonton, which is already providing a source of revenue to the Nation. He is also negotiating agreements with Hydro One in support of the Sudbury-Barrie Energy Corridor that will see the Territory hold an equity ownership position.

As far as Robinson Huron Treaty funds are concerned, the Chief is very clear: “The RHT settlement money is being held in a community trust and despite persistent rumours, the principle can’t be distributed to individual members,” he says. “However, we will use the interest for further economic development, distributions and holiday pay.”

“I’ve really enjoyed working with Council and all the community members over the past two years and I’m excited about the opportunity to serve the community over the next four,” he says. “I’ve been fortunate to build strong relationships at the federal and provincial levels that will help us to keep the momentum going. Good luck to all the candidates and let’s keep moving forward!”

Jean Oshkabewisens

Jean Oshkabewisens (nee Trudeau), a band member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory has accepted her nomination for election as chief of Wiikwemkoong.

“I am honored and humbled to accept my nomination, chi-miigwech to Sheila Chastenay and Donna Scheck for your nomination,” shared Ms. Oshkabewisens.

“I left Wiikwemkoong to obtain my education in communications and journalism and returned to the community in 1994,” she said. “My parents were Alphonse Trudeau-baa and Stella Francis-baa (Cooper). My spouse is Grant Oshkabewisens and we recently celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. We have a blended family of four children and nine beautiful grandchildren that keep us young. I have been an advocate for our community for the last 20 years, starting with the dolomite project which we, as band members, stopped in its tracks.”

“My concern is our community’s health and safety, beginning with the water, niibi—water is life,” said Ms. Oshkabewisens. “Our priority should be changing our old cast iron water pipes into new and enhanced water systems.”

But front and centre for her is the “protection of our unceded title and our lands, that is very important to me. I do not agree to municipalization of our homeland, nor do I agree with turning our 1850 Treaty into a 2024 RHT modern treaty. Our unceded title and our original treaties of 1850 and 1836 must not be broken or rewritten.

Ms. Oshkabewisens asserts that the federal government, citing Prime Minister Mark Carney and his advisors, as wanting to turn all 600 91��˵��s territories into municipalities.

Further, “We need to closely examine removing ourselves from the RHTLF (Robinson Huron Litigation Fund) and the LMC (Litigation Management Committee (LMC). The LMC is overseen by 21 trustees, one appointed by each of the 21 RHT 91��˵�� councils. From that larger group, two trustees from each of several sub-regions are appointed to the LMC, which guides and works with the RHT chiefs and trustees and the legal team of Nahwegahbow Corbiere.

“We should be protecting our Robinson Huron annuity,” she said. “I don’t agree the negotiations should be kept from community membership.”

Ms. Oshkabewisens said that she had sent Mike Restoule a request from the financial statements back in November 2026 but to this date she said she has not received a reply.

(Mr. Restoule is the chair of the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund and the lead plaintiff in the treaty annuities case — meaning the landmark court case is literally named after him: Restoule v. Canada.)

“I also don’t like when they take our 1850 Treaty and move to start calling it a “Modern Treaty,” she said. “We need to stand up to both of these.”

Ms. Oshkabewisens said the band membership should be privy to the information. “Not bits and pieces, we should have the whole picture.”

“Another concern is the illicit drugs epidemic in our community and the criminal activity that comes with the drug epidemic,” she said, noting that the solutions will only come from the inclusion of the entire community in the process.

Gladys Wakegijig

Gladys Wakegijig served as Ogimaa of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory from 2000 to 2003 and subsequently for several terms as a councillor, the first in 1997, providing her with deep corporate knowledge and foundation for leadership. She was first appointed Ogimaa in 2000 and subsequently elected to a two-year term in 2001.

Ms. Wakegijig said that “for almost 30 years I have served constantly for my community.” She has worked for the band first as an employee of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory in the Justice Program as the coordinator and in previous years in the education program and the Land Claims office.

Fluent in Anishinaabemowin she has been and intends to continue to be a “strong voice for our Anishinabek” (nation).

She has served on many band committees, including: housing, health, public works; the Islands Claim; education and Wikwemikong Heritage Organization (now known as Wiikwemkoong Anishinaabe Aadiziwin Naaki gamig).

“I would like to thank the individuals that nominated me for the position of chief of Wiikwemkoong,” said Ms. Wakegijig. “Miigwetch to Madeline Wemigwans and Donna Wemigwans.”

She said that she accepted the nomination “with great honour and gratitude” and went on to thank and honour those who went before, “who worked hard to protect our Anishnaabe people, our Anishnaabe rights and our Anishnaabe territory. Miigwetch, miigwetch, miigwetch.”

“I was raised speaking Anishinaabemowin and grounded in the teachings of the Anishinaabe Aadzawin,” she said. “I am guided with ceremony and culture. When I was first elected in 1997 as band councillor, to the leadership table of Wiikwemkoong I have always, and I still do today, have a solid commitment and dedication to work hard for our community. Having been a former chief and a band councillor, I bring knowledge, leadership and work experience along with a dedicated commitment to work hard for Wiikwemkoong.”

She notes that a common question being asked by band members is, “How is our money being spent?”

“This question needs to be addressed through a financial review to provide clarification and answers to band members inquiries,” she said. “We need to know what our financial revenue returns are from our investment in Edmonton, Alberta. What impacts will the proposed Alberta separation from Canada have on our investment with the Alberta-based Connect Centre? We have a tremendous amount of the RHT dollars invested in this Connect Centre Project, when we have many projects here in Wikwemikong that can be moved forward by investing in them.”

Ms. Wakegijing said that “Wiikwemkoong works hard every day towards addressing many issues, yet we still face challenges in housing, mental health and addictions.”

“We require additional programing for our youth,” she said. “Our Anishinaabemowin is so important. Let’s sit, learn and listen to our elders as they share their voice. These are the areas where our community, our people, our leadership should be focussing our investments.”

To that end, Ms. Wakegijig’s platform puts forward “a solid commitment to work hard for an ongoing strong and prosperous community, by promoting and supporting our culture and our Anishnaabe language; continuing to advance our existing community and programs and services; by maintaining my hard work and dedication for our community of Wiikwemkoong in all areas of language, culture, child welfare, education, youth programming, health, housing, infrastructure, economic development and the Islands Claim.”

Further, she commits to “ensuring the relationship building and partnerships entered into are for the benefit of our community of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory; to uphold our sovereignty, inherent rights and jurisdiction; providing and contributing to the discussion on 91��˵��s issues at the local, regional and national level for Wiikwemkoong.”

Her platforms guiding principles are Nbwaakaawin (wisdom), Zaagdiwin (love), Mnaadendmowin (respect). Aakdehewin (bravery), Gwekwaadziwin (honesty), Dbaadendizwin (humility) and Debwewin (truth).

“By electing me as chief of Wiikwemkoong, together, let’s embrace the strength of the people,” she said. “Together with you, we can build that foundation and together we will make a difference.”

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Meet the candidates for Wiikwemkoong Ogimaa

Rachel Manitowabi

Tim Ominika

Jean Oshkabewisens

Gladys Wakegijig

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