Jaime Battiste

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

Represents the riding of Cape Breton—Canso—Antigonish

Jaime Battiste was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Sydney—Victoria in 2019 and is now the Member for Cape Breton — Canso — Antigonish. He is the first Mi’kmaq to be elected to Parliament.

As Parliamentary Secretary, Battiste brings a wealth of experience in Indigenous governance, youth leadership, and community-led policy development. He continues to advocate for inclusive governance, revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures, and transparent decision-making that empowers Indigenous communities across Canada.

Mr. Battiste previously held positions as a university professor, Treaty Education Lead, and Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Regional Chief. In 2005, the National Aboriginal Health Organization named him as one of the “National Aboriginal Role Models in Canada”. In 2006, as the Chair of the AFN’s Youth Council, he was one of the founding members of the Mi’kmaq Maliseet Atlantic Youth Council (MMAYC), an organization that represents and advocates for Mi’kmaq and Maliseet youth within Atlantic Canada.

Mr. Battiste is a musician, a recording artist, and a founder of the Mi’kmaw Music Showcase that features and promotes songs in the Mi’kmaw language. He is a fluent Mi’kmaw speaker and was the first parliamentarian to speak Mi’kmaw in the House of Commons.

Mr. Battiste holds a Juris Doctor from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University and an undergraduate degree in Mi’kmaq Studies from Cape Breton University.