The province of Saskatchewan now has a new Lieutenant Governor.

On Thursday, September 12th, Russ Mirasty was officially installed as Saskatchewan’s 23rd Lieutenant Governor. Mirasty was sworn in faster than normal, after previous Lieutenant Governor, Thomas Molloy, passed away on July 2nd. As a member of the Lac La Ronge First Nations community, Mirasty will be the first Cree speaking Lieutenant Governor in the province.

Mirasty previously served 36 years in various roles in the RCMP across Canada, after first joining the force in 1976. He was contacted by the Prime Minister’s office several weeks ago, where he was asked about any interest in the job of Lieutenant Governor, with the official offer being made last week.

“A little disbelief that I’m actually sitting here becoming the Lieutenant Governor for the province and obviously accepting that, and the tremendous responsibility that comes with it,” said Mirasty.

As a Lieutenant Governor, Mirasty is now the highest ranking officer in the province, and serves as a representative to the Queen. Some of his responsibilities will include,

-- Swearing in the provincial government's Executive Council

-- Opening each session of the provincial legislative assembly

--Providing Royal Assent to provincial bills.

-- Acting as the province’s official host

-- Supporting local causes

-- Recognizing outstanding citizens, and more.

Most recently, Mirasty worked as a government advisor in the education sector. Premier Scott Moe said he is excited to work with Mirasty due to his background and experience.

“I think this is an important step of not only the conversation and the action around reconciliation, I think it’s an important step in signifying how we work together as aboriginal communities,” said Moe

Despite the current tumultuous nature of the political world, it continues to move forward, and sometimes all that is needed is a fresh face. Only time will tell if Russ Mirasty will be a step forward for Saskatchewan.