A Metis celebration and a MAGA hat

The Metis Settlements of Alberta celebrated Proclamation Day Thursday with a flag-raising ceremony outside the Federal Building.

Nov. 1 marked 28 years since the settlements and the Alberta government made history by granting Metis people protected lands in the province — the only agreement of its kind in Canada.

The Metis Settlements Accord followed several years of intense negotiation.

Metis Settlements General Council president Gerald Cunningham said in a statement the agreement gave his people a home from which to build new opportunities for the future, while substantiating a significant part of Alberta and Canadian history.

“We are here today because of the strong and relentless vision of our fathers of the federation,” he said. “From them and their works we have thrived under generations of Metis leaders.”

DREESHEN GIVES AWAY HIS MAGA HAT

The newly minted UCP MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake, Devin Dreeshen, had an interesting first week in the legislature.

A maiden speech, a member’s statement, questions to a minister — and an insult lobbed over by Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt.

“It’s quite clear Madam Speaker that the member from InnisfailSylvan Lake has been wearing his Make America Great hat way too tight, and it’s impacting his ability to share anything remotely resembling a fact in this assembly,” Schmidt said Wednesday, adding Dreeshen was the “son of a rich farmer.” Schmidt later withdrew the remark.

On Thursday, Dreeshen called the incident “unfortunate,” but wouldn’t go so far as to say he regrets wearing a MAGA hat.

If anything, he said, a trip he made to the United States during the primaries forged connections that will be useful as trade critic.

When asked whether he still has the red Donald Trump MAGA cap, Dreeshen replied: “Good question. I think I might have actually given it away, to be honest.”

“I don’t sleep with it,” he added.