Manitoba woman competing in Miss Universe Canada
A Manitoba woman now has the chance to win the title of Miss Universe Canada, becoming the first Indigenous Winnipegger to compete in the national pageant.
Ashley Martel-Lepine is the lone Manitoban representative competing in this year’s Miss Universe Canada, a competition, she says, she has always wanted to compete in.
“I freaked out a little bit, I’ll be honest. I didn’t know what I was going to do,” she explained. “It’s always something that I have followed. Always something that I have dreamt of doing. I really feel like this was meant to happen for a reason.”
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Ashley Martel-Lepine (Photo Credit: Instagram/ @_ashleymay_)
The pageant, which is being held in Vancouver in August, will be her very first competition.
“I’m considered an amateur. I have never done pageantry before, and I am really stepping out of my comfort zone in this, and it is all new. I don’t know what to expect and I’m just trying to prepare myself as best as I can.”
Martel-Lepine is one of around 70 women competing in the competition this year, a pool that saw between 700-800 women across the country apply. She will be the first Indigenous Winnipegger to compete in the pageant.
“That really hits home for me because Winnipeg has the largest population of Indigenous people and to honour my people and represent my community is such an honour to me.”
Ashley Martel-Lepine (Photo Credit: Instagram/ @_ashleymay_)
Miss Universe Canada, also known as “The Beauties of Canada,” is Canada’s national beauty pageant. The winners of this competition go to the Miss Universe pageant, which is being held this year in El Salvador.
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Martel-Lepine says if she wins, she wants to showcase her Indigenous culture in the international event, and is considering performing a jingle dress dance.
“I think that it’s so important, because it used to be illegal to show who we were. We were really forced to stay silent, so I feel like representing our culture on a big platform like that is so moving,” said Martel-Lepine.
Martel-Lepine says she had an opportunity to compete in this very same competition last year, but let fear stop her. She is sharing some advice.
“If you’re constantly building towards your future self, it’s never a waste of time and the worst feeling ever is the feeling of regret for not taking that chance.”
