Chief Tanya Aguilar-Antiman (holding the microphone), alongside Jenny Spyglass (right), as the latter became the first female senator from Mosquito Grizzly Bears Head Lean Man First Nation. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Making history

Mosquito First Nation appoints first female senator

Jun 12, 2019 | 5:08 PM

Elder Jenny Spyglass has become the first female appointed to Battlefords Agency Tribal Council (BATC) and Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Senate from Mosquito Grizzly Bear’s Head Lean Man First Nation (MGBHLM).

A council member for over 25 years, Spyglass called the honour “very special and humbling.”

“It makes me very proud to be a senator,” she said. “I’ve been a chief, and I’ve been in politics for quite a while, [since] back in my younger days and today was a great day for me. [It was] a real honour, for my kids and my people to see me and respect me as a senator.”

Spyglass said growing up as a residential school survivor, she never would have thought she would be where she is today when she was younger.

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Newly appointed Senator, Jenny Spyglass is wrapped in a traditional quilt during Wednesday’s ceremony. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

Chief of MGBHLM Tanya Aguilar-Antiman said appointing a new senator was something council saw as a main priority since being elected last month. There had been a vacancy in the community’s seat since Mosquito’s late senator Paul Stone passed away a few years ago.

“For our community it’s a big celebration [to appoint a senator],” Aguilar-Antiman said. “When new council came in, that’s something we made a priority, but it’s a process, it doesn’t happen overnight.”

The process included sending the recommendation through the governance of Mosquito First Nation, and passing it on to the Tribal Council. On May 28, BATC accepted the recommendation for Spyglass to be appointed. In the fall, it will go to the federation level for final approval.

Aguilar-Antiman said Splyglass embodies the necessary qualities to be a successful senator.

“A senator role is [for] somebody with experience and wisdom; someone who’s knowledgeable and respectful within the nation, and Jenny was a strong candidate,” she said.

“We are really pleased to support the move,” Aguilar-Antiman added. “It’s really because of how respected [Spyglass] is within the nation. All her years of service: providing leadership and guidance to the young and old, not just in our nation, but the surrounding nations as well.”

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1