Cece (Celine) Debassige is a queer Ojibwe and Dene community organizer, public speaker, and civic leader whose work sits at the crossroads of resurgence, justice, and reconciliation. With years of frontline activism and advocacy behind her, she has become a compelling voice for Indigenous youth, environmental protection, and systemic change in both urban and grassroots settings.

Most recently, Cece served as the Canoe Project Assistant with Ottawa Riverkeeper, where she helped launch a community-led initiative that reintroduced the canoe as a potent symbol for cultural renewal, environmental stewardship, and nation-to-nation relations. The project, which culminated in a community launch on July 1st, empowered Indigenous youth with practical knowledge and access to their ancestral waterways, fostering genuine connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities along the Kichi Zībī (Ottawa River).

Cece’s advocacy is deeply grounded in her lived experience. She began organizing protests in her teens, advocating for justice in response to violence, systemic discrimination, and environmental harm. At just 22, she made history as the first Indigenous woman to run for mayor of Ottawa, campaigning on a visionary platform rooted in care-based policy, accessible housing, defunding police, and ecological justice. Her campaign utilised storytelling and social media to engage young and marginalized voters across the city, carving out space for progressive Indigenous leadership in municipal politics.

She has spoken widely—both on stage and through digital platforms—on the realities of racism, gendered violence, climate grief, and the commodification of Indigenous identity. A talented and grounded public speaker, Cece brings vulnerability, clarity, and courage to every panel, protest, or podium she steps onto. Whether testifying in institutional settings, leading a round dance, or speaking to high school students about sovereignty and self-worth, she does so with rare authenticity and a clear vision.

Her experience includes working as an Indigenous Relations Consultant with Pine Gum Studio, offering guidance to Canadian government departments on sovereignty, protocol, and ethical collaboration. She has been a dedicated volunteer with the Assembly of Seven Generations (A7G), helping lead community round dances, youth programming, and advocacy campaigns focused on land, language, and youth empowerment. Cece has also served as Communications Co-Lead for Women’s March Ottawa, managing visual messaging and digital storytelling to promote intersectional feminist events and actions.

Beyond her political and cultural work, she maintains a steadfast commitment to public-facing roles, sharing care and knowledge through her work in local markets, cafés, and community hubs like Adaawewigamig and the ByWard Market. Her ability to connect with people across generations, identities, and social contexts is one of her most powerful tools for change.

In every space she enters, Cece brings a lens of reconciliation through action— not just words, but tangible work rooted in accountability, repair, and collective transformation. Her leadership reminds us that reconciliation is not a single act, but a living relationship between land, people, past, and future.