Tony Belcourt
Encyclopedia
Tony Belcourt (born May 11, 1943) is a Métis
Rights leader and activist in Canada
. He is best known for his work as the founding President of the Métis Nation of Ontario
in 1993 and his leaderhship through the Powley Case in 2003. Belcourt is recognized within the Métis community as one of the preeminent Métis leaders in Canada.
) whose career as a Métis
leader in Canada
spans four decades and continues to have a positive influence for Métis, other Aboriginal nations across Canada and Indigenous peoples worldwide.
Tony was elected Vice-president of the Métis Association of Alberta in 1969. In the fall of 1970 he was instrumental in the forming of the Native Council of Canada and served as its founding president from 1971 to 1974.
In his time as the President of the Native Council of Canada, Mr. Belcourt was successful in convincing the federal government to include Métis and Non-Status organizations in their newly announced core-funding program, which, up to that point, was exclusively for Status Indians.
In addition to assisting in the development of other Métis and Non-Status organizations throughout Canada, Tony helped create a national voice for Canada's Métis and Non-Status Indian people.
As well, in 1973, Mr. Belcourt successfully lobbied the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
to put into place the "Rural and Native Housing Program"--a program with goals to build 50,000 new homes in five years. In addition, a $1 million program for emergency repair and residential rehabilitation that would improve the housing conditions of Métis and Non-Status peoples was also negotiated.
In the mid-70s, Mr. Belcourt operated a research company and began his career as a writer, producer and director in film, video, and radio production. For the years between 1977 and 1981, he was Communications Director at the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs through the federal Executive Interchange Program.
During the round of talks leading to patriation of Canada’s Constitution, Mr. Belcourt was a valued advisor to the Native Council of Canada and the Inuit Committee on National Issues. In the fall of 1981, when the section on Aboriginal matters and the equality clause were dropped from the proposed patriated constitution, Mr. Belcourt co-chaired a massive “Aboriginal Rights Coalition” of First Nations, Métis and Inuit leadership who came together to lobby for the reinstatement of the Aboriginal rights clause. The lobby was successful with the inclusion of the present S.35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.
In 1985, Mr. Belcourt served as the Chairman of the Native Business Summit, a week long extravaganza that occupied almost the entire Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This Summit was the first of its kind and raised the profile of Native businesses to an unprecedented level in Canada and throughout the world. The Summit consisted of five conferences running simultaneously, a trade show, an art gallery, and a gala of Aboriginal entertainment throughout. Attended by 2,000 delegates from nine countries, HRH, The Princess Anne, along with Elder Rufus Goodstriker, opened the ceremonies and the Summit to business. The conferences, which saw the participation of CEOs from numerous Fortune 500 companies and the cream of Aboriginal business in Canada, resulted in $81 million worth of trade for Native business in one week.
These efforts culminated in the forming of Mr. Belcourt’s own company, Wolfwalker Communications, in the late 80s. When this company was under his control, Wolfwalker Communications went on to produce many award winning programs directed to Aboriginal audiences.
In the late 80s and early 90s, Mr. Belcourt served as an advisor and consultant to the Hon. Yvon Dumont, then President of the Métis National Council
, lobbying the federal government for the recognition of Métis rights.
In 1992, Tony was given the privilege by the Rt. Hon. Joe Clark
, then Deputy Prime Minister, of drafting the all-party resolution of the House of Commons which gave a long deserved recognition to Louis Riel
and his contributions to Canada.
In 1993, Mr. Belcourt was instrumental in the formation of the Métis Nation of Ontario
and since 1994 he has served as the founding president and was re-elected to that position in 1996, 1999, 2002 and 2005. In 2007 he retired from active Métis politics and did not seek re-election.
The growth of the MNO to this date is impressive. The foundations for Métis governance were developed and approved. The Métis Nation Registry; the MNO Electoral Code, providing for province-wide ballot box elections; the elected councils for Métis women, Métis youth and Métis veterans; the MNO Harvesting Policy, and its regime of Captains of the Hunt; the MNO Development Corporation and the Métis Nation of Ontario Cultural Commission are all institutions that have earned the respect that has gained the MNO its legitimacy. The creation of endowment funds for Métis bursaries and scholarships at 32 Ontario universities and colleges throughout the province—now topping $4.4 million sets the MNO apart as one of the largest, if not the largest, private sector provider of bursaries and scholarships in Ontario. The MNO also serves as an effective delivery agent of various programs for Métis people, including employment and training programs, long-term care and various health programs, housing and economic development.
Tony Belcourt has been keenly involved in numerous actions for the recognition of Métis rights, including the landmark Powley case concerning the Métis right to hunt. On September 19, 2003, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Métis have a constitutionally protected Aboriginal right to harvest. This watershed victory in favour of Métis rights will be a lasting legacy for the Métis Nation of Ontario.
Tony’s work at the provincial level is complemented by an equally determined effort at the national and international levels. He was a member of the Métis National Council’s Board of Governors and served for many years as the MNC’s Minister responsible for International Affairs. Tony’s role as Minister responsible for International Affairs was supported financially by the federal Minister of External Affairs and International Trade. The role brought him to United Nations meetings and negotiations on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the UN in Geneva and New York. He has also represented the Métis Nation at various UN conferences in South Africa and other parts of the western hemisphere.
His responsibilities included representing the Métis Nation within the Organization of American States
(OAS) where he was involved in talks concerning the Americas’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas. It is a position that enabled Tony to establish an effective presence for his work in helping other Indigenous peoples in Central and South America by promoting partnerships between the Métis Nation and Indigenous peoples in the northern hemisphere of the Americas. Tony’s work extended to the development of an Indigenous policy for the Inter-American Development Bank. The MNO has developed a nation-to-nation protocol with the Aymara Nation whose territory spans southern Peru, Bolivia, northern Argentina and northern Chile. Over the past decade, Mr. Belcourt has developed a strong relationship with the Q’eqchi Maya in Guatemala.
These hemispheric relationships have led to discussions on trade and the projects involving Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In 2007, Mr. Belcourt was elected president of the newly founded Indigenous Commission for Communications Technologies in the Americas. The purpose of the Commission, made up of Indigenous representatives from 17 countries of North, Central, South America and the Caribbean is to promote the appropriate use and development of information and communications technologies to strengthen the recovery of the roots of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas and their legal, political, social, educational, cultural, spiritual and economic well-being.
Tony Belcourt was a member of the Governing Council of Trent University's Ph.D. program in Native Studies, the first such degree program at any university in Canada. He was a Patron of the Diana Fowler LeBlanc Aboriginal Social Work Scholarship. He is a member of the Aboriginal Advisory Council at the Ontario Collage of Art and Design University. In January, 2006, he received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for public service. In 2010 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Laws by Lakehead University.
Tony was President of the Métis Nation of Ontario Development Corporation, (MNODC) a wholly owned subsidiary of the MNO.
Tony Belcourt was Chair of the Métis Nation of Ontario Cultural Commission, a charitable organization dedicated to preserve and promote Métis history, values, traditions and pride in Métis arts and culture. He was also a member of the Crossing Boundaries National Council, which is composed of senior public servants and elected representatives from each of the provinces and the federal government, as well as representatives from territorial and municipal governments and the Aboriginal community. Through its projects and national discussions, the Council acted as an agent of change for transformation towards a more citizen-centred government.
Tony Belcourt is the father of Métis painter Christi Belcourt
, graphic designer Suzanne Belcourt, and filmmaker Shane Belcourt
. He resides in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada with his partner, Danielle Choquette.
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
Rights leader and activist in Canada
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...
. He is best known for his work as the founding President of the Métis Nation of Ontario
Métis Nation of Ontario
Métis Nation of Ontario is an aboriginal organization for the Métis population in Ontario.It is affiliated with the Métis National Council.-External links:*...
in 1993 and his leaderhship through the Powley Case in 2003. Belcourt is recognized within the Métis community as one of the preeminent Métis leaders in Canada.
Biography
Tony (Anthony) Belcourt (born 1943 in the historic Métis community of Lac Ste. Anne, AlbertaLac Ste. Anne (Alberta)
Lac Ste. Anne is a large lake in central Alberta, Canada. It is located in Lac Ste. Anne County, along Highway 43, 75 km west of Edmonton....
) whose career as a Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
leader in Canada
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...
spans four decades and continues to have a positive influence for Métis, other Aboriginal nations across Canada and Indigenous peoples worldwide.
Tony was elected Vice-president of the Métis Association of Alberta in 1969. In the fall of 1970 he was instrumental in the forming of the Native Council of Canada and served as its founding president from 1971 to 1974.
In his time as the President of the Native Council of Canada, Mr. Belcourt was successful in convincing the federal government to include Métis and Non-Status organizations in their newly announced core-funding program, which, up to that point, was exclusively for Status Indians.
In addition to assisting in the development of other Métis and Non-Status organizations throughout Canada, Tony helped create a national voice for Canada's Métis and Non-Status Indian people.
As well, in 1973, Mr. Belcourt successfully lobbied the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is a Crown corporation, owned by the Government of Canada, founded after World War II to provide housing for returning soldiers...
to put into place the "Rural and Native Housing Program"--a program with goals to build 50,000 new homes in five years. In addition, a $1 million program for emergency repair and residential rehabilitation that would improve the housing conditions of Métis and Non-Status peoples was also negotiated.
In the mid-70s, Mr. Belcourt operated a research company and began his career as a writer, producer and director in film, video, and radio production. For the years between 1977 and 1981, he was Communications Director at the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs through the federal Executive Interchange Program.
During the round of talks leading to patriation of Canada’s Constitution, Mr. Belcourt was a valued advisor to the Native Council of Canada and the Inuit Committee on National Issues. In the fall of 1981, when the section on Aboriginal matters and the equality clause were dropped from the proposed patriated constitution, Mr. Belcourt co-chaired a massive “Aboriginal Rights Coalition” of First Nations, Métis and Inuit leadership who came together to lobby for the reinstatement of the Aboriginal rights clause. The lobby was successful with the inclusion of the present S.35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.
In 1985, Mr. Belcourt served as the Chairman of the Native Business Summit, a week long extravaganza that occupied almost the entire Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This Summit was the first of its kind and raised the profile of Native businesses to an unprecedented level in Canada and throughout the world. The Summit consisted of five conferences running simultaneously, a trade show, an art gallery, and a gala of Aboriginal entertainment throughout. Attended by 2,000 delegates from nine countries, HRH, The Princess Anne, along with Elder Rufus Goodstriker, opened the ceremonies and the Summit to business. The conferences, which saw the participation of CEOs from numerous Fortune 500 companies and the cream of Aboriginal business in Canada, resulted in $81 million worth of trade for Native business in one week.
These efforts culminated in the forming of Mr. Belcourt’s own company, Wolfwalker Communications, in the late 80s. When this company was under his control, Wolfwalker Communications went on to produce many award winning programs directed to Aboriginal audiences.
In the late 80s and early 90s, Mr. Belcourt served as an advisor and consultant to the Hon. Yvon Dumont, then President of the Métis National Council
Métis National Council
The Métis National Council is the representative of the Northwest Métis people within Canada.-History:The National Council was formed in 1983, following the recognition of the Métis as an aboriginal people in Canada, in Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982...
, lobbying the federal government for the recognition of Métis rights.
In 1992, Tony was given the privilege by the Rt. Hon. Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
, then Deputy Prime Minister, of drafting the all-party resolution of the House of Commons which gave a long deserved recognition to Louis Riel
Louis Riel
Louis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
and his contributions to Canada.
In 1993, Mr. Belcourt was instrumental in the formation of the Métis Nation of Ontario
Métis Nation of Ontario
Métis Nation of Ontario is an aboriginal organization for the Métis population in Ontario.It is affiliated with the Métis National Council.-External links:*...
and since 1994 he has served as the founding president and was re-elected to that position in 1996, 1999, 2002 and 2005. In 2007 he retired from active Métis politics and did not seek re-election.
The growth of the MNO to this date is impressive. The foundations for Métis governance were developed and approved. The Métis Nation Registry; the MNO Electoral Code, providing for province-wide ballot box elections; the elected councils for Métis women, Métis youth and Métis veterans; the MNO Harvesting Policy, and its regime of Captains of the Hunt; the MNO Development Corporation and the Métis Nation of Ontario Cultural Commission are all institutions that have earned the respect that has gained the MNO its legitimacy. The creation of endowment funds for Métis bursaries and scholarships at 32 Ontario universities and colleges throughout the province—now topping $4.4 million sets the MNO apart as one of the largest, if not the largest, private sector provider of bursaries and scholarships in Ontario. The MNO also serves as an effective delivery agent of various programs for Métis people, including employment and training programs, long-term care and various health programs, housing and economic development.
Tony Belcourt has been keenly involved in numerous actions for the recognition of Métis rights, including the landmark Powley case concerning the Métis right to hunt. On September 19, 2003, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Métis have a constitutionally protected Aboriginal right to harvest. This watershed victory in favour of Métis rights will be a lasting legacy for the Métis Nation of Ontario.
Tony’s work at the provincial level is complemented by an equally determined effort at the national and international levels. He was a member of the Métis National Council’s Board of Governors and served for many years as the MNC’s Minister responsible for International Affairs. Tony’s role as Minister responsible for International Affairs was supported financially by the federal Minister of External Affairs and International Trade. The role brought him to United Nations meetings and negotiations on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the UN in Geneva and New York. He has also represented the Métis Nation at various UN conferences in South Africa and other parts of the western hemisphere.
His responsibilities included representing the Métis Nation within the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
(OAS) where he was involved in talks concerning the Americas’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas. It is a position that enabled Tony to establish an effective presence for his work in helping other Indigenous peoples in Central and South America by promoting partnerships between the Métis Nation and Indigenous peoples in the northern hemisphere of the Americas. Tony’s work extended to the development of an Indigenous policy for the Inter-American Development Bank. The MNO has developed a nation-to-nation protocol with the Aymara Nation whose territory spans southern Peru, Bolivia, northern Argentina and northern Chile. Over the past decade, Mr. Belcourt has developed a strong relationship with the Q’eqchi Maya in Guatemala.
These hemispheric relationships have led to discussions on trade and the projects involving Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In 2007, Mr. Belcourt was elected president of the newly founded Indigenous Commission for Communications Technologies in the Americas. The purpose of the Commission, made up of Indigenous representatives from 17 countries of North, Central, South America and the Caribbean is to promote the appropriate use and development of information and communications technologies to strengthen the recovery of the roots of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas and their legal, political, social, educational, cultural, spiritual and economic well-being.
Tony Belcourt was a member of the Governing Council of Trent University's Ph.D. program in Native Studies, the first such degree program at any university in Canada. He was a Patron of the Diana Fowler LeBlanc Aboriginal Social Work Scholarship. He is a member of the Aboriginal Advisory Council at the Ontario Collage of Art and Design University. In January, 2006, he received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for public service. In 2010 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Laws by Lakehead University.
Tony was President of the Métis Nation of Ontario Development Corporation, (MNODC) a wholly owned subsidiary of the MNO.
Tony Belcourt was Chair of the Métis Nation of Ontario Cultural Commission, a charitable organization dedicated to preserve and promote Métis history, values, traditions and pride in Métis arts and culture. He was also a member of the Crossing Boundaries National Council, which is composed of senior public servants and elected representatives from each of the provinces and the federal government, as well as representatives from territorial and municipal governments and the Aboriginal community. Through its projects and national discussions, the Council acted as an agent of change for transformation towards a more citizen-centred government.
Tony Belcourt is the father of Métis painter Christi Belcourt
Christi Belcourt
Christi Marlene Belcourt is a Métis visual artist and author living and working in Canada. She is best known for her acrylic paintings which depict floral patterns inspired by Métis and First Nations historical beadwork art...
, graphic designer Suzanne Belcourt, and filmmaker Shane Belcourt
Shane Belcourt
Shane Anthony Belcourt is a Métis writer, director, and cinematographer living and working in Canada. He is best known for his feature film Tkaronto, which depicts the life of urban Métis and First Nations people....
. He resides in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada with his partner, Danielle Choquette.