Métis Human Rights Advocate Muriel Stanley Venne Dies at 87

Venne's decades-long advocacy for Indigenous rights and justice leaves a transformative legacy in Canada.

Muriel Stanley Venne, born in Lamont, Alberta, was a pioneering advocate for Métis and Indigenous rights, serving as one of the first appointees to Alberta's Human Rights Commission in 1973 and later as its chair.
She founded the Women of the Métis Nation and Esquao, the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women, to address systemic inequities faced by Indigenous women.
Venne's work on cases like that of Cindy Gladue highlighted systemic discrimination in the justice system and influenced reforms addressing violence against Indigenous women.
In 2017, she became the first Indigenous woman in Alberta to have a provincial building named in her honor, recognizing her extensive contributions to justice, education, and employment equity.
Over her lifetime, Venne received numerous accolades, including the Order of Canada and Alberta's Order of Excellence, cementing her impact on advancing human rights in Canada.