Edmonton Mayor Knack Appoints Former NDP MP Blake Desjarlais as Chief of Staff
In a significant political appointment, Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack has announced that former Edmonton-Griesbach NDP MP Blake Desjarlais will become his new chief of staff. The announcement was made on Thursday morning, marking a transition in the mayor's office leadership.
Historic Appointment for Edmonton
Desjarlais will be taking over the role from Gabrielle Blatz, who served as Edmonton's first Métis chief of staff. This appointment makes Desjarlais the second Métis individual to hold this influential position in the city's government.
Mayor Knack revealed that Desjarlais was selected from hundreds of applicants during a recruitment process that began at the start of the year. "Blake is somebody I know has the best interests of Edmontonians at his heart at the core of what he does," Knack told Postmedia. "I know he's going to be the best person to help me make sure we're advancing all of council's priorities."
Transition in Leadership
Knack expressed both sadness and excitement about the transition, noting that while he would have loved to keep Blatz for the entire term, she has moved on to a significant new role. Blatz was recently elected as the provincial women's representative of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of Alberta.
"I cannot say enough amazing things about Gabrielle Blatz," said Knack. "She's going to continue to do incredible things in this province. So while I'm incredibly sad to see her go, I can't wait to see what she does going forward."
Desjarlais' Political Background
Desjarlais brings substantial political experience to the role, having served as the MP for Edmonton-Griesbach from 2021 to 2025. His political career includes both defeating former Edmonton Sun columnist-turned-conservative politician Kerry Diotte and then losing to him in a subsequent rematch.
During his time in Parliament, Desjarlais held the distinction of being Alberta's lone Indigenous MP and the first openly Two-Spirit person elected to the Canadian Parliament.
Focus on Serving All Edmontonians
When asked about Desjarlais' political history, Knack emphasized that his primary concern was finding someone committed to serving all residents of Edmonton. "Obviously, anyone working in any type of political office is going to have some type of political history," he said. "What I strive for and what I've talked about with Blake is we're here to serve all Edmontonians. We need to make sure we are working to engage every single voice."
Knack acknowledged that he won't always agree with his chief of staff but stressed the importance of diverse perspectives in decision-making. "I'm not always going to agree with my Chief of Staff — but we need to have those diverse perspectives to make the best decisions possible."
Personal Background and Journey
Desjarlais' personal story reflects resilience and dedication to community service. A survivor of colonialism, he grew up quickly after his mother became a target in the Sixties Scoop. This led to his aunt raising him along with seven siblings in Fishing Lake Métis Settlement.
Today, Desjarlais identifies as an 'oskapewo' — a Cree term meaning "someone who helps medicine people with healing." His educational journey took him from studying political science and indigenous studies at MacEwan University to transferring to the University of Victoria after receiving racially motivated death threats. While in Victoria, he served as the firekeeper of the Native Student Union.
Prior to entering politics, Desjarlais developed a strong foundation in community leadership and advocacy, experiences that Mayor Knack believes will serve him well in his new role as chief of staff.
