After serving Métis women as the provincial women’s chair for the Métis Nation of B.C. (MNBC), Victoria Pruden announced her decision to step down from the Minister for Métis Women B.C. role to pursue national change for Michif women instead of campaigning during this fall’s provincial election.
Pruden, who has been serving as the MNBC chair for women since September of 2016, plans to step down after the Sept. 10 MNBC 2020 election and has no plans to run as an incumbent this year.
Pruden indicated the women’s chair role at MNBC was not the right fit to practice her hands-on expertise in social welfare and her advocacy for women at the provincial level.
She believes one of her Métis peers would be up to the task.
“I think there’s a lot of women out there who could do a really great job of this role,” said Pruden about her decision to vacate the MNBC women’s chair appointment. “I really, really hope we get some positive change in the future.”
While Pruden plans to resign herself from a provincial post, there won’t be a gap in her advocacy for women as she plans to devote her time going forward to making national change through organizations such as Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak / Women of the Métis Nation.
In addition, Pruden plans to dedicate her time going forward to creating and enhancing trauma treatment options for Métis women, as well as raising awareness about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women epidemic in Canada.
However, she remains supportive of candidates who wish to run for the MNBC women’s chair position in the future.
“I feel that Métis women should be supported,” said Pruden, “and in this election, I want to support really skilled women to succeed.”
