Leonard Marchand facts for kids

Leonard Stephen "Len" Marchand (November 16, 1933 – June 3, 2016) was a very important Canadian politician. He made history as the first person with First Nations background to be elected as a Member of Parliament (MP). Even more, he was the first First Nations person to serve in the federal cabinet, which is like the main team of ministers who help run the country. He worked in many important roles, including as a Minister and a Senator.

Early Life and Education

Len Marchand was born in Vernon, British Columbia, on November 16, 1933. He was a member of the Okanagan Indian Band. He went to school at the Okanagan Indian Day School and the Kamloops Indian Residential School. He also attended Vernon high school.

He continued his education at the University of British Columbia. In 1959, he earned a degree in agriculture. Later, in 1964, he got a master's degree from the University of Idaho. This degree was in range management, which is about managing land for grazing animals.

After university, Marchand worked as an agronomist, someone who studies plants and soil. In the mid-1960s, he started working with the North American Indian Brotherhood. This work involved speaking up for the rights of Indigenous people. He even went to Ottawa, Canada's capital, to talk to government leaders about these issues. He also worked as a special helper for two different government ministers.

Political Career

Len Marchand began his political journey when he was elected to the House of Commons in 1968. He ran as a candidate for the Liberal Party in the area of Kamloops-Cariboo in British Columbia. He won against a well-known opponent. This election was a big moment because he was the first person with official First Nations status to become an MP.

He became a parliamentary secretary to Jean Chrétien, who was the Minister of Indian Affairs. In this role, Marchand helped convince Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to start talks with First Nations groups about land agreements. These talks were very important for recognizing Indigenous land rights.

In 1976, Marchand was given an even bigger role. He was appointed to the Cabinet as the Minister of State for small business. This made him the first First Nations person to hold a position in the federal cabinet. In 1977, he became the Minister of the Environment. He held this job until the government lost the election in 1979.

After leaving federal politics, Marchand returned to British Columbia. He worked as an administrator for the Nicola Valley Indian Administration. In 1984, he was appointed to the Senate. The Senate is another part of Canada's Parliament. He was only the second Indigenous Canadian to become a Senator. Marchand helped create the Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples and served as its chairman. This committee focused on issues important to Indigenous communities.

Marchand retired from the Senate in 1998 when he was 64 years old. He chose to retire early to spend more time in British Columbia. He passed away on June 3, 2016.

Awards and Recognition

Len Marchand received several important awards for his contributions to Canada:

• In 1999, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. This is one of the highest honours a Canadian can receive.
• In 2000, he published his autobiography, a book about his life, called Breaking Trail.
• In 2014, Marchand received the Order of British Columbia, a top honour from his home province.
• He was sworn into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada in 1976. This gave him the special title "The Honourable" for life.
• In 1999, Thompson Rivers University gave him an honorary degree called Doctor of Laws.

Images for kids

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  Ribbon for the Order of Canada

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  Ribbon for the Order of British Columbia

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  Ribbon for the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal

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  Ribbon for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal

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  Ribbon for the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal

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  Ribbon for the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Order of Canada (CM)	Member 1999
	Order of British Columbia (OBC)	Member 2014
	Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal	1977 Canadian Version of this Medal
	125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal	1992
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	2002 Canadian Version of this Medal
	Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal	2012 Canadian version of this Medal

Archives

You can find many of Leonard Marchand's historical documents and records at Library and Archives Canada.