Lorne Gladu

Lorne Gladu

Education (2021)

Métis Nation of Alberta, AB

“For Métis communities to prosper, we need to equip Métis people with the skills and insights that come from post-secondary education…The benefits of a good education spreads through the community and our students’ demonstration of leadership and excellence are a testament to all Métis people in this province.”

Throughout his long, multifaceted career, Lorne Gladu has maintained the deep-rooted conviction that education is the path to change. Prior to joining the Métis Nation of Alberta in 1996, Lorne held multiple positions in different sectors; he was an RCMP constable, a small business owner, and then a public servant.  However, throughout all of those career transitions, Lorne maintained a strong commitment to on-going learning and advocacy.  As the founding CEO of Rupertsland Institute – Metis Centre of Excellence, he is transforming the lives of Métis people through the support provided by the Rupertsland Institute and its mandates in Education, Training and Research. Lorne has worked to further the Métis Education Foundation as a partner to Alberta post-secondary institutions by creating 19 endowments that began disbursing funds through the Métis Scholar Awards in 2009. To support the Alberta Metis Education and Training Strategy, Gladu and his team secured a labour market funding agreement with the government of Canada amounting to $170M over 10 years.  A visionary community advocate and bridge-builder, Lorne is a tireless advocate for Métis people in general and Métis learners in particular.