Meet Chris
Chris Leforte is a proud Red River Métis leader, cultural advocate and community builder with deep roots in Manitoba’s SouthWest focusing on youth mentorship, land-based learning and cultural revitalization.
A dedicated champion for Métis communities, Chris has spent years creating opportunities that strengthen identity, leadership, and connection to culture, particularly among Indigenous youth.
Committed
to Education & Mentorship
Chris currently serves as Chair of the Turtle Mountain Métis Local, first elected in August 2022 and re-elected in March 2026. In this role, he works to advance community priorities, strengthen partnerships, and advocate for Métis citizens across the region. He is also a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation and serves as Property Manager for the MMF Turtle Mountain Harvesting Property, helping steward important lands and resources connected to Métis harvesting rights and traditional practices.
Committed to education and mentorship, Chris serves as a Traditional Knowledge Keeper with both the Brandon School Division and the Southwest Horizon School Division, where he supports cultural programming, Indigenous graduation celebrations, and land-based learning opportunities. He is also a member of the Indigenous Committee for the Southwest Horizon School Division, helping guide Indigenous education and inclusion efforts.
Youth
Educating Youth
Because Our Communities Deserve Strong Representation
Chris has led and supported hunting camps, trapping camps, mentorship initiatives, and on-the-land cultural experiences designed to help youth reconnect with culture, teachings, and traditional ways of life. He strongly believes in “youth educating youth,” using mentorship, lived experience, and cultural connection to inspire the next generation of Indigenous leaders.
A strong ally and advocate for the LGBTQ2S+ community, Chris partnered with Community Cuzzins and the Turtle Mountain Métis Local to help facilitate on-the-land retreats for inner-city LGBTQ2S+ youth. These culturally grounded experiences focused on healing, joy, and belonging through activities such as fishing, medicine walks, beading circles, sharing circles, sweetgrass weaving, and traditional elk hide tanning.
CHRIS IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Chris is also deeply committed to environmental stewardship and community leadership. He serves as Lead for EIRM Stewards of the Homeland, Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow, and contributes to numerous organizations and initiatives including:
Turtle Mountain Souris Plains Heritage Committee Board
Riverbank Discovery Centre Advisory Committee
Boissevain Street Fest Committee.
He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Keystone Centre (Assiniboine Credit Union Place), where he sits on the Finance Committee.
ROOTED IN
MÉTIS CULTURE
Carrying Forward Tradition
Chris’s Métis heritage is deeply tied to the history of the Northwest Resistance. His ancestors include leaders and fighters who stood alongside Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont, including Toussaint Lussier, one of Louis Riel’s 12 councillors, and Boniface LeForte, who fought in both the Battle of Fish Creek and the Battle of Batoche. Their contributions are recognized on the Gabriel Dumont National Métis Veterans Memorial Monument.
He also carries forward the legacy of his late father, Ken LeForte, former Vice Chair of the Turtle Mountain Métis Local and Manitoba Métis Federation Minister of Natural Resources, whose work helped advance Métis harvesting rights, including efforts connected to the landmark Goodon case. Chris’s mother, Jackie LeForte, is a respected Métis Elder, artisan, and long-time community volunteer known for sharing culture through prayer, traditional teachings, sash weaving, and beadwork.
Today, Chris remains committed to uplifting youth, strengthening cultural pride, protecting the land, and ensuring Métis voices are heard, respected, and supported for generations to come.
Highlights of Service
Leadership & Governance
Chair, Turtle Mountain Métis Local (elected 2022, re-elected 2026)
Board Director & Finance Committee Member, Keystone Centre (Assiniboine Credit Union Place)
Board Member, Turtle Mountain Souris Plains Heritage Committee
Indigenous Committee Member, Southwest Horizon School Division
Advisory Committee Member, Riverbank Discovery Centre
Education & Knowledge Keeping
Traditional Knowledge Keeper, Brandon School Division & Southwest Horizon School Division
Cultural presentations at Brandon University, University of Manitoba, and University of Winnipeg
Cultural presentations within school divisions across the region
Support for Indigenous graduations celebrating student achievement
Culture & Heritage
Organizer, cultural camps and Métis Days celebrations
Cultural programming within schools and universities
Committed to keeping Métis stories, practices, and identity alive across generations
Traditional Economies & Natural Resources
Red River Métis trapper since the age of nine
Authored the Manitoba Métis Federation Trapping Program (2026)
Lead, EIRM Stewards of the Homeland – Environmental Leaders of Tomorrow
Property Manager, MMF Turtle Mountain Harvesting Property
Operates an outfitting camp in the Turtle Mountain region
Mentored hunting camps for youth and first-time hunters
Learn to Trap Camps — connecting youth to the land
Youth & Community
Youth mentorship through hunts, trap camps, and land-based learning
Proud and active ally of the 2SLGBTQ+ community at all levels, committed to ensuring our community is a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for everyone
Marriage Commissioner with Province of Manitoba
Community Building & Fundraising
Organizing and leading events that bring people together, raise funds, and celebrate Métis culture:
Turtle Mountain Métis Days
Annual Mother's Day Fish Fry
Annual Fishing Derby & Skidoo Derby
Boissevain Street Fest & Deloraine Farmers Market food services
Food services for the Towns of Deloraine and Boissevain
Polar Plunge