Lawrence Paul
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Paul was a Canadian
Mi'kmaq leader and First Nations
activist. Paul served as the chief of the Membertou First Nation of Nova Scotia
from 1967 to 1969. Paul also co-founded the Union of Nova Scotia Indians.
Paul was born on June 29, 1925, on Old Kings Road Reserve in Sydney, Nova Scotia
. Paul served in the Canadian military during both World War II
and the Korean War
.
In 1967, Paul was elected for a two-year term as chief
of the Membertou First Nation, which is based in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality
of Nova Scotia
. Most members of the Membertou First Nation lived without basic utilities, such as indoor plumbing, during Paul's tenure as chief. He worked to expose the Membertou's poor living conditions to the general public. Paul also cleared woodlands and upgrade facilities in and around the Membertou lands.
An advocate
for First Nations, Paul co-founded an organization which became the Union of Nova Scotia Indians. He also worked to alleviate alcoholism
among First Nations communities. He worked as a regional consultant
on alcoholism prevention for the Canadian Department of National Health and Welfare. Paul also co-founded the Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselling Association, and served as the association's executive director
. Additionally, he established a series of anti-alcoholism programs, with offices in Prince Edward Island
, New Brunswick
and Boston, Massachusetts.
The University College of Cape Breton awarded Paul an honorary degree
in 1996.
Lawrence Paul died on May 1, 2010, at Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney, Nova Scotia
, at the age of 84.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Mi'kmaq leader and First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
activist. Paul served as the chief of the Membertou First Nation of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
from 1967 to 1969. Paul also co-founded the Union of Nova Scotia Indians.
Paul was born on June 29, 1925, on Old Kings Road Reserve in Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
. Paul served in the Canadian military during both World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
In 1967, Paul was elected for a two-year term as chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
of the Membertou First Nation, which is based in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton Regional Municipality often shortened to simply CBRM, is a regional municipality in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton County.According to the 2006 Census of Canada, the population within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is 102,250...
of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. Most members of the Membertou First Nation lived without basic utilities, such as indoor plumbing, during Paul's tenure as chief. He worked to expose the Membertou's poor living conditions to the general public. Paul also cleared woodlands and upgrade facilities in and around the Membertou lands.
An advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
for First Nations, Paul co-founded an organization which became the Union of Nova Scotia Indians. He also worked to alleviate alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
among First Nations communities. He worked as a regional consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
on alcoholism prevention for the Canadian Department of National Health and Welfare. Paul also co-founded the Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselling Association, and served as the association's executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
. Additionally, he established a series of anti-alcoholism programs, with offices in Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and Boston, Massachusetts.
The University College of Cape Breton awarded Paul an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
in 1996.
Lawrence Paul died on May 1, 2010, at Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
, at the age of 84.