Former National Chief Ovide William Mercredi, O.C., O.M.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Ovide Mercredi has devoted his life to advancing Indigenous rights. A lawyer, politician and two-term national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, he steered the organization through foundational constitutional discussions, using his legal acumen to promote and advance the rights and freedoms of First Nations peoples. He subsequently served as chief of the Misipawistik Cree Nation, as spokesperson for Treaties 1–11, and as president of Manitoba’s New Democratic Party. Beyond his far-reaching community involvement and support for education, he is lauded as a mentor, writer and speaker.