There are deep aboriginal connections to the leadership of the Saskatchewan RCMP.
The new commanding officer is from a small reserve in the Yukon.
45 year-old Brenda Butterworth Carr is taking over where 56 year-old Russ Mirasty left off.
He is a member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.
Both Mirasty and Carr started at the bottom and worked their way to the top.
Neither takes anything for granted, and both are proud of their aboriginal routes.
When Brenda Butterworth Carr first came to Saskatchewan to train as an RCMP member she was 19 years-old and a single mom.
Since then her career has had many firsts.
Last fall she was the first aboriginal woman to be appointed chief superintendent in charge of criminal investigations for the RCMP in Saskatchewan
Now, less than a year later, she has been handed another promotion, this one, as commanding officer for the province.
“It is pretty humbling to know that you have the support of the province, the municipal police forces, the partners, the commissioner of the RCMP and certainly the current commanding officer, it’s a humbling thing.”
Butterworth-Carr takes over from Russ Mirasty.
He has 36 years on the job.
He also joined the force as a teenager.
“You know I never thought for an instant when I left La Ronge to take that bus trip to Regina to train that I would be occupying a position like I am today, the commanding officer of a division, and certainly I am very proud of that, my family is very proud of that, as well as my community and I think the province.”
Mirasty is heading back home to LaRonge where he says he will relax for awhile, work around the house, watch the boats on the lake, and then figure out he can contribute to the community in some meaningful way.
Brenda Butterworth-Carr takes over on Monday although an official change of command ceremony will not take place until the fall.