Nation Builders Award

At our 2025 Annual General Meeting, Métis Nation British Columbia launched the Nation Builders Award. In every community across all regions, there are dozens of stories about our people giving of themselves to help others, advocate for Métis, steward our traditions, and build community. This award is intended to be an annual way we recognize Citizens who have demonstrated significant contributions in volunteerism, community-building, and profile-raising of Métis people in B.C.

Eligibility Criteria 

  • Minimum 10 years of dedicated service to the Métis community
  • Embodies at least four of MNBC’s seven cultural values:
    • Kwayes’kwât’sowin (Integrity), Manâcihitowin (Respect), Kisîwât’sowin (Kindness), Atoskâtowin (Teamwork), Ahtisihcikêwin (Innovation), Tâpahtiyim’sowin (Humility), Sîpihkisôwin (Resilience
  • Sustained efforts to raise awareness of Métis at a local, provincial or national level
  • Must be a Citizen of MNBC
  • Must not self-nominate

Nominations will open again in early 2027.

Headshot of a smiling woman with grey curly hair.

Lee Fraser

2026 Recipient

Headshot of a smiling woman with grey curly hair.

Lee Fraser

2026 Recipient

Lee has spent the last 18 years volunteering through Métis Nation B.C., including as the president of the Surrey-Delta Métis Association since March 2022. She was the elected Regional Women’s Representative for Region 2 from 2008 to 2021, and she was on the board of the Nova Heritage Métis Association from 2003 to 2008.

Lee is an excellent listener and is known for her calming spirit in meetings. She is thoughtful, caring, and family oriented. She believes that everything we do is for our children and grandchildren, and that they’re the heart and future of our Nation.

Lee worked with grassroots Métis women through the Métis Nation BC for about 10 years, facilitating beading and moccasin making workshops. She has also traveled to conferences across the country to lift up the voices of Métis women in her work with the Métis Women B.C. Council.Much of what she has accomplished for Métis Women B.C. has been done with very little budget.

She works from her heart, and always finds a way to make things happen.

Nominated by Carmen Carriere
A woman in a purple shirt holding an engraved wooden award plaque.

Charlotte Lever

2026 Recipient

A woman in a purple shirt holding an engraved wooden award plaque.

Charlotte Lever

2026 Recipient

Charlotte has dedicated nearly two decades of service to North Island Métis Association as a Board Member, Treasurer, Vice President, and trusted leader.

Charlotte is known for her generosity, reliability, and willingness to help wherever she is needed, whether supporting members with citizenship applications, sharing her knowledge of Métis families and genealogy, representing the community at meetings, or ensuring the work behind the scenes is completed.

Many members know her as a trusted Kohkum whose knowledge, kindness, and commitment have helped generations of Métis Citizens feel welcomed and supported. Her dedication, humility, and unwavering belief in the importance of community have helped North Island Métis grow into the strong and vibrant organization it is today.

Her volunteer service extended well beyond administration. Charlotte represented North Island Métis at community meetings, education and health tables, and MNBC gatherings whenever representation was needed. She helped organize community events, prepared meeting materials, donated supplies, and often covered personal costs such as fuel, printing, paper, and office materials without expecting reimbursement.

Her extensive knowledge of local Métis families and the history of North Island Métis has made her a trusted resource for both long-time members and those reconnecting with their heritage.

Charlotte’s approach to raising awareness around Métis is grounded in relationships. She welcomes new members, shares her knowledge generously, and creates opportunities for people to feel connected to their community.

Through her quiet leadership and consistent presence, Charlotte has helped increase understanding of Métis identity while fostering pride, belonging, and lasting community relationships.

Nominated by Jackie Lever
Two middle aged women stand at a podium. One is receiving a wooden award plaque.

Joy Sundin

2026 Recipient

Two middle aged women stand at a podium. One is receiving a wooden award plaque.

Joy Sundin

2026 Recipient

Joy has spearheaded so many projects in her community in Prince Rupert. In one recent example, she applied for and received a grant that allowed the community to frame several Métis sashes, which were then installed in local medical and care facilities. This has meant Métis see themselves and feel welcome in the places where they feel most vulnerable.

Joy goes above and beyond on every event the Community hosts, rounding up volunteers and keeping everyone motivated. She is always encouraging everyone to do more, and encourages more Citizens to get involved. But not only does she drum up support, she makes it rewarding and fun to help.

Joy has shown her community the importance of being proud of our heritage. At every event she demonstrates so much pride in being Métis that it’s naturally infectious. She is a consistent reminder to remember our Métis heritage and to pass along our knowledge and embodies the gold standard of what we as Métis want and need to continue building our nation.

Nominated by Tanya Larsen

Past Recipients

  • Bernadette Chaboyer

    2025 Recipient

    Bernadette Chaboyer

    2025 Recipient

    Bernadette Chaboyer is the President of the Northwest B.C. Métis Association and has been a force of both resilience and care. Bernadette is passionate about building relationships and works tirelessly with all Nations in her community. She ensures no one feels left out or left behind: Bernadette supports local Elders by providing food, driving them to appointments, picking up supplies and making check-in calls. She is a reliable presence that her community knows they can count on. As a longtime resident of the Terrace area, Bernadette has developed an extensive network of knowledge that she shares with everyone. She is a skilled cook and generously shares her memorable dishes with those who know her. She is recognized for her passion, her commitment, her big heart and her smile to match.

    Nominated by Susie Hooper, MNBC Region 6 Director

  • Cheryl Dodman

    2025 Recipient

    Cheryl Dodman

    2025 Recipient

    Cheryl Dodman has had over 18 years of experience working for the Kelowna Métis Association. She has been President since 2020 and has contributed countless volunteer hours to her community. Cheryl is known for her ethical and pragmatic approach to governance. She has the rare quality of both being able to look at the bigger picture and of fostering personal connections with community members. Cheryl is steadfast in her passion for Métis culture, and exhibits exemplary leadership qualities: care, honesty, integrity, and gentle strength. Her involvement both in her community and at MNBC illustrates a deep commitment to uplifting the Métis.

    Nominated by Dean Gladue, MNBC Region 3 Director

  • Sadie Lukan

    2025 Recipient

    Sadie Lukan

    2025 Recipient

    Sadie Lukan née Supernault is a well-recognized Métis Elder currently living in Dawson Creek, B.C. Sadie is a founding member of the North East Métis Association and has strived to bolster Métis representation throughout the broader community. Sadie is a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. In addition to being a Knowledge Keeper, she is an artisan, a talented seamstress, a Tipi storyteller, a Cree Language instructor, a theatre director and a dance coordinator. Previously, she was a spiritual drug and alcohol counsellor. Sadie generously passes down teachings from her father. Her beautiful designs are created from visions and are imbued with care felt by anyone who comes across them. She inspires by embodying healthy leadership, grounded wisdom, and a kind heart.

    Nominated by Melanie Allard, MNBC Vice President

  • Denise McCuaig

    2025 Recipient

    Denise McCuaig

    2025 Recipient

    Elder Denise McCuaig is a knowledge keeper who has dedicated her life to building community and promoting Métis culture. With humility, strength and warmth, Elder Denise not only speaks to Métis traditions and values, but she also embodies them as a powerful model for her community. Over the years, she shared wisdom, offered support, and modeled a way of being rooted in compassion, integrity and leadership. She is known for her unwavering commitment to uplifting the upcoming generations, and for the way she shows up with care, strength and love. Elder Denise is cherished as an Elder, a trusted mentor, and a steady presence.

    Nominated by Danielle Bergevin, MNBC MYBC Chair

  • Lottie McDougall-Kozak

    2025 Recipient

    Lottie McDougall-Kozak

    2025 Recipient

    Lottie McDougall-Kozak is a deeply respected Métis Elder living in Falkland, B.C. She is known across Canada for her contributions and has been sought out by documentarians and academics for her rich experiences and profound knowledge. Lottie is a spiritual visionary, a former logger, an artisan, a carver, a storyteller and a famous fly-tying expert. Her gifts have benefited the broader Métis community in many ways. Her impactful paintings and wood carvings come from memories and visions and offer a window into a spiritual dimension that reminds us of our wholeness. Her involvement with Vernon & District Métis Association helped lead to the first ever Métis Days at the Falkland rodeo grounds, building the profile of Métis people across the broader community. She is a multi-talented and multi-faceted person who deserves every ounce of recognition she receives.

    Nominated by Melanie Allard, MNBC Vice President

  • Jan Ovans

    2025 Recipient

    Jan Ovans

    2025 Recipient

    Jan Ovans has been a steadfast fixture in her community as Vice-President of the Cowichan Valley Métis Nation for well over a decade. She supports the President with invaluable wisdom and guidance and is always the first to step in to offer support. Community members know Jan for her unparalleled warmth: she has a knack for making even newcomers feel like old friends. She is an articulate speaker and a successful grant writer—a skill that has benefited her community time and again. Jan embodies the Métis values of interconnectedness and kinship in all she does. She maintains her openness and quiet strength throughout any challenge. Through her very presence, Jan inspires all those who meet her by reminding them just how Métis community feels like home.

    Nominated by Patrick Harriott, MNBC Region 1 Director

  • Myrt Servatius

    2025 Recipient

    Myrt Servatius

    2025 Recipient

    Myrt Servatius is a respected Elder and Knowledge Keeper. She established the Kootenay South Métis Society. Throughout the years, she has volunteered thousands of hours to build and serve her community. Myrt has hosted events, children’s jigging classes, beading classes, and cooking classes. In Trail, Myrt established a respectful reputation for Métis by engaging with the broader community and bringing people together. Recently, she was granted Elder status at Selkirk College. She teaches about Métis culture in local schools and relentlessly spreads the word about being a proud Métis. Her enthusiasm is inspiring and has a way of coaxing even unsuspecting community members into participation and belonging.

    Nominated by Debra Fisher, MNBC Region 4 Director

  • Lisa Shepherd

    2025 Recipient

    Lisa Shepherd

    2025 Recipient

    Lisa Shepherd is a gifted artist whose beadwork is known across the country. Her art has been featured in Fort Edmonton Park, the Royal Ontario Museum, Fort Langley National Historic site, and more. Through her work, Lisa has raised the profile of Métis people at a national level and has invigorated Métis culture by blending the traditional and the contemporary. Lisa is the founder of the Golden Ears Métis Society (GEMS) and was the president until her appointment to MNBC’s Senate in September 2025. She has always supported the Métis Nation by generously sharing her time, skills, and cultural knowledge to help strengthen and celebrate Métis identity. She is a knowledge carrier who works to hold, share, and revitalize Métis through her art, and embodies the very best of Métis values in her day-to-day life.

    Nominated by Allan Lavallee, MNBC Region 2 Director

External Awards