National Post (National Edition)
Leader of HuronWendat First Nation
Former Grand Chief Magella (Max) Gros-Louis, who championed indigenous rights for more than 30 years as leader of the HuronWendat First Nation, has died at the age of 89.
Grand Chief Remy Vincent confirmed the news in a statement.
He was born on Aug. 6, 1931, at Wendake, Que., just outside Quebec City. The area was then known as Huron Village Indian Reservation.
He started out by hunting, fishing and trapping on the reservation's traditional lands, and then became a guide, taking people on such expeditions. Through the years he also worked as a surveyor and as a travelling salesman. The entrepreneur then opened a small shop, where he sold snowshoes, moccasins and other First Nation crafts.
For his various businesses, he travelled to other indigenous communities and this led to his involvement in politics.
Gros-Louis led the First Nation for a total of 33 years, from 1964 to 1984, from 1987 to 1996 and from 2004 to 2008.
According to the HuronWendat statement, during that time he worked to enlarge the nation's territory, brought the community to international prominence and raised awareness of Canada's mistreatment of indigenous people.
He was one of the founding members of the National Indian Brotherhood, which became the Assembly of First Nations, and was a recipient of numerous awards including the Order of Canada and the Order of Quebec.
Vincent described GrosLouis as one of the builders of the nation, and said it would be hard to sum up his contributions in a single statement.
“Grand Chief Oné Onti, on behalf of the Huron-Wendat Nation, we thank you for walking with us and by our side,” he wrote.
Ghislain Picard, the leader of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, praised Gros-Louis as a respected political leader.
“His contribution to the influence of the First Nations as well as his sense of duty, community and fraternity made him an impressive leader that everyone will remember,” he said in a statement.
“Although his departure leaves a great void, his imposing political, cultural and community legacy will remain etched in history forever.”
A number of federal and Quebec politicians also took to Twitter to express their condolences.