New children's advocate first Indigenous man to assume role in Sask.

On Thursday,Saskatchewan's new advocate for children and youthwas announced.

Corey O'Soupwas named to the position, and he is the first Indigenous children's advocate in Saskatchewan's history.

"It means a lot for me, but I think it means alot more for our children and our youth," he said."That they have someone they can go to and thatthey have a role model."

He isthe province's fourth children's advocateandwill replace BobPringle.

• Bob Pringle's term as Saskatchewan's children's advocate won't be renewed

In the role, O'Soup said his main focus and biggest challengewill be the issues plaguing theyoung Indigenouspopulation.

"If you look at the numbers, those are pretty drastic," he said, speaking to the high rates of Indigenous children in provincial care, and furthermore the high rates of those that are injured or die.

• High profile cases of children in Saskatchewan's foster care system, before Goforth trial

He also plans to address the lack ofmental health resources in Saskatchewan and noted it is an issue that affects all.

"It's not only for the north. You see it all across the province."

Recently, O'Soup headed a taskforce on the ground in La Loche following the school shooting.

"La Loche changed me as a person. It really gave me a new perspective on the challenges that particularly our children and youth face," he said, adding he also took note of thechallenges educators face.

He said Indigenouscommunities, the government and agencies must work together to help the children.

"That's based around building trust and building relationships."

Former advocate for community organization

The children's advocate roleis independent of the Legislature and the person in the position isresponsiblefor providingrecommendationsto and criticizing the provincial government.

In 2007 and 2008, O'Soupwas co-chair of the non-profit organization Station 20 West Development Corporation.

He penned a letter on behalf of Station 20 Westto Don McMorris inJanuary 2008 to congratulate the minister on his appointment to cabinet with the Saskatchewan Party and then to advocate for the non-profit organization.

The letter went on to explain why the organization was needed, and that it was helping the Indigenousand inner-citycommunity with health care, social services and food among other important things.

It concludedby saying O'Soup and hisco-chairVal Veillardlooked forward to working with the Saskatchewan Party to progress Station 20 West.

TheSaskatchewan Party then pulled $8 million of its fundingbecause they said the community organizationwasn't a good use of taxpayer money.

Switching sides

In 2009, O'Soupcaused a stir in Saskatoonwhen heannounced he was running as a candidate for theSaskatchewan Party in SaskatoonRiversdalethe same party that pulled the funding for an organization he formerlyadvocated for.

According toO'Soup, his past political ties to the Saskatchewan Partywill not have an impact on how he handles the job.

"That's extremelyimportant to me is that I put the children first regardless of political stripes, regardless of anything else," he said."The advice I always give is always non-partisan and it's in the best interest of the children."

O'Soupsaid his past positions demonstrate that he is fair-minded.

He has worked for the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and is theFirst NationandMtisadvisor at the Ministry of Education, a role he said already has him being critical of the provincial government.

In that position, his job is to advise and critiqueand he will continue to do that in this new role, he said.

"I feel 100 per cent comfortable doing that."

O'Soupwill assume the position of children's advocateonNovember 1, 2016.