Bernadette Gopher will represent the NDP in Cut Knife-Turtleford in the 2011 provincial election.

She was selected as the NDP candidate at a packed nomination meeting tonight at the Royal Canadian Legion Hall in Cut Knife.

Gopher, who is a member of the Saulteaux First Nation, currently owns and operates a small business just outside of North Battleford.

"Bernadette is precisely the type of candidate we want to represent the NDP in the next provincial election," Saskatchewan NDP Leader Dwain Lingenfelter, who was the guest speaker at the nomination meeting, said. "She comes from a diverse background, has strong roots in her community and is a small business owner. These are all factors that will help the NDP take back the Cut Knife-Turtleford seat and defeat the Wall government in 2011."

Bernadette, her husband Fred Gopher and their family have owned and operated the Whiterock Gas & Confectionary for the past eight years. She holds a business diploma from CompuCollege.

Gopher's mother is from the Saulteaux First Nation and her father a farmer from Glaslyn. She is fluent in the Cree language.

Gopher has lived in Hamlin, located in the Cut Knife-Turtleford constituency, for the past 12 years. She is also a former student of North Battleford Comprehensive High School and attended elementary school on the Moosomin First Nation.

Bernadette and Fred Gopher have six children and five grandchildren

Nominations will continue throughout the year as the party prepares to defeat the Wall government in 2011.