Perry Bellegarde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Perry Bellegarde
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Bellegarde in 2019
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| National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations | |
| In office December 10, 2014 – July 8, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Ghislain Picard (interim) |
| Succeeded by | RoseAnne Archibald |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 29, 1962 Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan |
| Spouse | Valerie Galley Bellegarde |
| Residences | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Education | Saskatchewan Federated Indian College, University of Regina |
| Alma mater | University of Regina |
Perry Bellegarde SOM was a very important leader for First Nations people in Canada. He was born on August 29, 1962, and is from the Little Black Bear First Nation. From 2014 to 2021, he was the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). Before that, he was a chief for his own community and for a group of First Nations in Saskatchewan.
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Early Life and Education
Perry Bellegarde was born in 1962 in Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan. He grew up on the Little Black Bear Indian reserve. He went to school in nearby towns like Goodeve and Balcarres.
After high school, he studied at the Saskatchewan Federated Indian College. This school is now called the First Nations University of Canada. He also studied business at the University of Regina. After finishing his studies, he worked at the Indian Institute of Technologies.
Starting His Political Journey
In 1986, Perry Bellegarde started working in tribal politics. He was elected to the Touchwood–File Hills–Qu’Appelle Tribal Council. In 1988, he became the President of this council.
He worked to have the Fort Qu’Appelle Indian Hospital managed by First Nations people. He also helped create a new center in Regina to help First Nations people living in the city.
Bellegarde has received many awards for his leadership. These include the Canada 125 Medal and the Saskatchewan Centennial Medal. In 2018, he received the Saskatchewan Order of Merit (SOM), which is a high honor from his home province.
Leading in Saskatchewan
In 1998, Bellegarde became the Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations. This group represents First Nations across the province. Because of this role, he also became a regional leader for Saskatchewan in the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). He held this position until 2003.
He was re-elected to this role in 2012. During this time, he supported singer Neil Young's "Honour the Treaties" concert tour. This tour raised money to help the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation protect their land from oil development.
National Chief of the AFN
Perry Bellegarde was a strong candidate for National Chief of the AFN in 2009. He ran again in 2014 and won the election.
One of his main goals was to get the Canadian government to look into the high number of missing and murdered Indigenous women. He helped the government start an inquiry into this important issue in 2018.
In 2017, Bellegarde made history by marching in the Toronto Pride Parade. He was the first AFN National Chief to do so.
In 2018, he was re-elected for a second term as National Chief. He encouraged Indigenous nations to create their own laws about who belongs to their communities. He also worked to make sure Indigenous children stayed connected to their families and cultures.
In 2019, Bellegarde signed an agreement with the Canadian government. This led to a new law, Bill C-92: An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families. This law helps Indigenous governments take charge of child welfare for their own children. This means fewer Indigenous children are removed from their communities.
During protests in 2020 about pipelines and railways, he spoke up for the protesters. He said that people should not be punished for protecting their lands. He also worked to calm down the situation.
In March 2020, he met with Canadian leaders to push for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to become law in Canada. This declaration protects the rights of Indigenous peoples around the world.
When the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada started, the Assembly of First Nations declared a state of emergency. Bellegarde asked for Indigenous communities to be directly involved in planning how to deal with the pandemic.
In June 2020, he called for big changes to policing in Canada. He wanted more community-based policing and stricter rules against excessive force by police.
In December 2020, he announced he would not run for re-election. He wanted to focus on finishing important work, like getting Bill C-15 passed into law.
Awards and Recognition
On June 2, 2022, Perry Bellegarde received an Honorary Doctorate in Laws from Lakehead University in Ontario, Canada. This is a special award that recognizes his important work and contributions.
