Honouring Chief Tanya Bittern

The Southeast Resource Development Council mourns the loss of Chief Tanya Bittern who was recently elected on October 31 as the new leader of Poplar River First Nation. She passed Saturday, November 2. The community has lost a beautiful matriarch who stood at the beginning of what promised to be a strong and impactful leadership.

Chief Bittern, a former Poplar River First Nation councilor of six years, was also the community’s Aboriginal Head Start program Coordinator for 14 years. Chief Bittern served on the boards for SERDC affiliates Shawenim Abinoojii Inc. and Southeast Collegiate. Thus, positive influence on our communities has been felt for many years by Chief Tanya Bittern, and she will be deeply missed by all those who called her a colleague, friend, mother, granny, sister and partner.