Lorraine Rekmans is a member of the Serpent River First Nation, and is of Anishnabe and French heritage. She served as the Indigenous Affairs Critic for the Green Party of Canada for 12 years, beginning in 2008. She is a five-time federal candidate for the Green Party of Canada, running twice in Algoma Manitoulin Kapuskasing, and three times in Leeds Grenville Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.
Lorraine is an advocate for environmental and social justice issues through her work in both media and non-governmental organizations. With a background in journalism, and decades of work in the non-profit sector, Lorraine has extensive experience in policy development, government, industry, public affairs and Indigenous communities. She is the former Executive Director of the National Aboriginal Forestry Association. Lorraine is a small business owner with her husband Gerry in Kemptville and currently works as the Editor of the North Grenville Times. She has served as a Board member for the Forest Stewardship Council of Canada, and she has received The Rosalie Bertell Award for outstanding service in the field of environmental health by the International Institute of Concern for Public Health.
As the former Executive Director of the National Aboriginal Forestry Association (NAFA), Lorraine worked on national and international forest policy. She helped organize Indigenous
participation at the World Forestry Congress at Quebec City. Lorraine assisted in writing a number of international declarations including the Indigenous Peoples Declaration on
Forestry, which was submitted at the World Forestry Congress, in 2003.
