Member of the Order of Canada
- Awarded on: December 4, 2017
- Invested on: July 05, 2018
Marcelline Picard-KanapÚ, C.M., C.Q.
Pessamit, Quebec
Marcelline Picard-KanapÚ is a champion for Indigenous education. The first Innu to obtain a teaching certification in Quebec, she served as an educator and school administrator in Innu communities across the province over the course of four decades. She was a strong advocate for the promotion of Indigenous language in education, which led to the standardization of the Innu-Montagnais language. The first woman to join the Pessamit Innu NationÆs band council and to be elected chief, she has inspired new generations of Indigenous women leaders.