Wilton littlechild biography cause of death

Canadian politician

J. Wilton Littlechild CC AOE MSC KC (born ), known as Willie Littlechild, is a Canadian lawyer and Cree chief who was Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations and a member of Parliament.

Wilton littlechild biography death

Wilton Littlechild ran in the federal election as a Progressive Conservative candidate in the riding of Wetaskiwin, Alberta. He won 50 per cent of the popular vote to become the first member of Parliament with Treaty Indian Status.

A residential school survivor, he is known for his work nationally and internationally on Indigenous rights. He was born in Hobbema, now named Maskwacis, Alberta.

Early life and education

Wilton Littlechild was born on 1 April in Hobbema, Alberta. He was brought to residential school at the age of six, spending 14 years in the system until his completion of high school.^[2][3] He witnessed and experienced abuses during that time.^[3]

As a young man, he was a successful athlete who won ten Athlete of the Year Awards.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Physical Education degree in ,^[4] then obtained a master's degree in physical education from the University of Alberta in ^[5] During his time in university, he played on the hockey and swimming teams.^[4] He later became the first status Indian from Alberta to obtain a law degree, which was earned at the University of Alberta in ^[5] That year, the Cree Nations bestowed him with a headdress as an honorary chief and endowed him with his grandfather's Cree name, Mahihgan Pimoteyw, which means Walking Wolf.^[3]

Career

Littlechild was a member of the Indigenous delegation to the United Nations and worked on the UN's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.^[2] He won the national Tom Longboat Award in and ,^[6] and was one of the founders of the North American Indigenous Games, begun in , Edmonton, Alberta.

He has also consistently advocated for the creation of the World Indigenous Games, which provides competitive events for Indigenous athletes from around the world.

Littlechild was the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Member of Parliament for Wetaskiwin from to ^[7] Littlechild did not stand for re-election in the general election.

Wilton littlechild biography wikipedia Born in Alberta, Wilton Littlechild was raised largely at residential schools from to , where he spent 14 years surviving through study and sport. After leaving residential school, he studied physical education at the University of Alberta and law at the University of New Mexico, where he continued his balance of academics and hockey.

After leaving Parliament, Littlechild continued to be involved in politics. He was the founder of the International Organization of Indigenous Resource Development, a United Nations non-governmental organization.

Littlechild is a member of the Ermineskin Cree Nation. The Indian Association of Alberta presents the Willie Littlechild Achievement Award to six First Nations students each year.

Littlechild was made a member of the Order of Canada in and was promoted to the rank of Companion in ^[8] In , he was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians,^[9] awarded for "outstanding contributions to the promotion and understanding of Canada's parliamentary system of government".^[10]

In , Littlechild was appointed as a commissioner to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada where he served for six years until the commission's final report and dissolution.^[11][3][12] In he was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross for his work on the commission.^[13]

Littlechild received the Indspire Award for law and justice in On 30 November , he became Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, becoming the first "non-sitting" chief to hold the position, and subsequently served for three years.^[14] In , he was awarded the Order of Sport, marking his induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.^[15] In , Littlechild won the Pearson Peace Medal.^[16] During Pope Francis' visit to Canada in , Littlechild presented the Pontiff with a traditional Indian headdress, generating mixed reactions from the Indigenous community.^[17]

Electoral record

See also

References