Tony Belcourt, founding President of the Native Council of Canada

Release Date: May 13, 2014. Tony Belcourt’s distinguished career spans 45 years of experience and significant achievement in Aboriginal affairs, the corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors.  During this period he founded, led and served on the boards of numerous local, regional, national and international Aboriginal organizations including as founding President of the Native Council of Canada (1970-74), founding President of the Métis Nation of Ontario (1993-2008) and the founding President of the Indigenous Commission for Communications Technologies in the Americas (2005-Present).  Mr. Belcourt, as Métis Nation Ambassador for International Issues, participated in numerous international meetings of the United Nations and the Organization of American States.

His efforts were an important contributing factor in the Métis being recognized in the Constitution Act, 1982, as one of the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada and were instrumental in bringing about constitutional recognition of existing Métis rights at the Supreme Court of Canada in the case of R. v. Powley in 2003.

 Mr. Belcourt has served on many boards and advisory committees including the Board of Governors of the Ontario College of Art and Design University and the Institute on Governance. In 2006, he received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for public service.  Mr. Belcourt received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Lakehead University in 2010.  In 2013 Mr. Belcourt was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada.