Part ABNE202_part25 - Tina Keeper

Tina Keeper is from the Inninuak of Norway House Cree Nation in the Treaty 5 territory and of the Muskrat Dam First Nation of the Treaty 9 territory. She is a film, television, and theatre producer; actor; advocate; and former Member of Parliament.

Her passion for the arts was influenced by her culture, and she explored theatre at the Winnipeg Indian & Métis Friendship Centre back in 1980, and through the acting program at The University of Winnipeg. She has a BA in theatre from The University of Winnipeg and trained at the Centre for Indigenous Theatre, the Banff Centre, and the Sundance Institute.

Keeper won a Gemini award for acting in 1997 for her portrayal of RCMP Officer Michelle Kenidi in the long-running television series North of 60. She was the first Indigenous person to win a Gemini for a leading role on a TV series in Canada.

As an Honorary Witness for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Keeper co-produced the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s highly acclaimed ballet Going Home Star, guided by Indian Residential School Survivors.

Keeper served as a Member of Parliament for the federal riding of Churchill from 2006-2008. She was the first Indigenous woman to serve as a Member of Parliament from Manitoba. In 2008, she introduced a Private Member's Bill into the House that would ensure Canadian laws are consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and introduced a Private Member's Bill regarding Jordan’s Principle to address First Nations children's healthcare in Canada.