Métis Elder Elize Hartley

Elize Hartley was born Elize Huppé in Vassar Manitoba on August 4th, 1924.  Her paternal grandmother was Veronique Nault, first cousin to Louis Riel.  After the Uprising of 1885 many of her Red River Métis relatives migrated to the United States (Rocky Boy Reserve, Turtle Mountain Reserve) and to the far west.  As she travels across Canada, she finds many Métis families who are historically related to her ancestry.

Long-time activist and elder for Métis people, Elize Hartley is the founder of the Métis Women’s Circle, a community organization of Aboriginal women who have worked in the community for more than thirteen years.  Her vision is to unite all Métis peoples coast to coast in Canada.  She completed a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science at McMaster University, recently received a Status of Women lifetime achievement award for her work in the community and she currently sits on a number of Boards of Directors.  She serves as Elder for Native Women’s Association of Canada, and the Ontario Native Women’s Association.  Elder Hartley’s keenest interest is in working with aboriginal youth, and she guides the Métis Women’s Circle in successful grant writing to fund her various initiatives with stay in school projects.