Welcoming Griffin Bjerke-Clarke
Editor’s note: Trident is pleased to welcome Griffin Bjerke‑Clarke to the team this winter. Griffin is joining the Trident through the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP), where he will be contributing as he completes the final year of his studies.
Griffin Bjerke‑Clarke is a Red River Métis (Chouinard, Bell, Lizotte) born in Regina, Saskatchewan, with roots in Manitoba and northern Alberta.
Griffin is currently in his final year of a Double Honours Degree in English and Contemporary Studies at the University of King’s College. He has worked for the Department of National Defence since 2021, developing a strong professional background in data entry and logistics.
In 2019, Griffin participated in a Rotary youth exchange to Brumunddal, Norway, where he lived for seven months and became fluent in Norwegian. The exchange was cut short in 2020 due to the COVID‑19 pandemic. The following summer, he worked with Parks Canada’s archaeology department during an excavation at Glen Rouge Campground in Scarborough, Ontario. He began his university studies in 2021 while continuing his employment with the Department of National Defence.
In 2023, Griffin took a break from his studies to participate in Katimavik. During the program, he interned with Inn From the Cold in Calgary and with l’Armée du Salut in Québec City.
An avid reader and lifelong writer, Griffin released his debut novel, He Who Would Walk the Earth, with Fernwood/Roseway in 2025. He is currently developing two additional novels.
As he prepares to graduate, Griffin hopes his time at the Trident will broaden his skillset and introduce him to the world of journalism. Upon graduation, he aims to return to the prairies to work as a Cree and Michif youth language educator in his community.
Griffin is a registered citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF).
