Donald Meriam was born and raised in North Battleford. He believes as a two-spirited person and a young activist, he can bring a fresh perspective to the city. (photo/ Donald Meriam)

By Kenneth Cheung

2024 MUNICIPAL ELECTION

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Two-spirited activist Donald Meriam aims to address social inequalities and boost economic growth if elected to the City of North Battleford council on Nov. 13.

“I’m driven to drive transformative change within the city,” said Meriam. “This significant step speaks to my desire to make a positive impact in the community.”

As an activist from North Battleford, he witnessed many women in the workplace facing unfair treatment due to their gender. He said seeing the injustice has fueled his desire to address gender equality.

“I’ve worked for many companies in this city, and I’ve worked for a few that are male-dominated and they still get paid more and do less than the women,” he said.

“They didn’t have the proper education, but the women who had the proper education and the proper qualifications were getting paid less and less to do more – and more work to be put on their plates.”

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He believes that one of the best ways to alleviate the ongoing social phenomenon and enable the city to break free from conservative values is to bring the conversation to the forefront in the council and address it publicly.

“Something needs to change, and that’s one of the many reasons why I’m running.”

Meriam with the speaker of the House of Commons, Greg Fergus. (photo/ Donald Meriam)

Meriam is not only an experienced activist but also a Youth Advocate for the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Canada and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2023. With a strong background in advocating for human rights, he also wants to focus on addressing issues such as racism, 2SLGBTQ+ rights, and local crime.

Along with his vision of creating a diverse and inclusive community, he aims to bring economic growth to the city. He believes North Battleford is one of Saskatchewan’s fastest-growing cities and hopes to leverage this growth to attract more businesses.

“We’ve just kind of lost our growth, and I believe we need to reopen our city to businesses and more locals to bring back that drive.”

He also mentioned that people often doubt him because of his young age and believe he lacks the experience to run for such an important position. However, he sees his youth as an advantage and thinks he can shape the city’s future with a fresh perspective.

“I believe at 24 years old. This allows me to connect with the youth and understand their needs better,” he said.

“My dedication to making positive changes and my commitment to representing the people of North Battleford make me one of the ideal candidates to lead us forward. My vision and passion are what we need to bring about the change we seek.”

Municipal election day is Nov. 13. Other confirmed candidates include Alvin Baptiste, Rodney Fedler, Mercy George, Bill(Thomas) Ironstand, Greg (Gregory) Lightfoot, Kent Lindgren, Ross MacAngus, Dennis Mercer, Alan Wiese, Dan Suberlak, Darryl Williams and Warren Williams.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com