Congress
of Aboriginal Peoples Press Release
Harry
W. Daniels
1940 - 2004, In Memorium
 Harry
W. Daniels, the preeminent 20th century leader of the Métis
peoples of Canada died Monday, September 6 in a Regina hospital
after a long and courageous struggle with cancer.
As President
of the Native Council of Canada (NCC) in 1981, he was primarily
responsible for negotiating the constitutional recognition
of Métis peoples into the Constitution Act, 1982.
As the
national voice for Métis and Non-Status Indian organizations
across Canada, the charismatic leader spearheaded a broad
range of initiatives, both nationally and internationally,
to achieve recognition of the Aboriginal and treaty rights
of NCC constituents, and for equitable access to programs
and services which, until then, had been limited to registered
Indians on reserves.
Born in
Regina Beach, Saskatchewan on September 16, 1940, Mr. Daniels
was educated at the University of Saskatchewan and Carleton
University.
Shortly
before his death he received an Honourary Doctorate in Law
from the University of Ottawa. He served in an executive capacity
in number of western Aboriginal organizations throughout the
1970s where he developed the flamboyant political style that
earned him election to several executive offices at the NCC
in the late 1970s and culminating as President in the early
1980s. He later served a President to the NCC's successor
organization, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples in 1997-2000.
He was Awarded the Aboriginal Order of Canada, and was the
first NCC executive to be awarded an Honourary Presidency
for life.
Fondly
nicknamed as "Harry the Dog" or "Harry the
Hat" by his colleagues, Mr. Daniels published several
pamphlets and books on Métis and Non-Status Indian
rights including: "A Declaration of Métis and
Indian Rights" 1979; "We Are the New Nation"
1979; Native People and the Constitution of Canada" 1981.
He formed and conducted two major national Commissions: one
on Justice and another on the Aboriginal, Treaty and Constitutional
rights of Aboriginal peoples.
He was
also celebrated as a film and stage actor in several award-winning
productions. He studied with the Manitoba Theatre Centre Studio
and with Dora Mavor Moore's New Play Society in Toronto.
In the
international arena he called for United Nations pressure
on Canada to meet its obligations to Aboriginal peoples in
Canada. He led a delegation to the Fourth Russell International
Tribunal, and participated in U.N. initiatives on Habitat
and on the Environment. He served as a director of the World
Council of Indigenous Peoples and received a Certificate of
Completion from the International Peace Academy in Vienna.
"Harry
will be sorely missed by the countless number of Aboriginal
people who have been touched by his life and his work."
Said national Chief of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples,
Dwight A. Dorey. "On behalf of the Congress, I extend
my sincere condolences to his family."
Funeral
arrangements are pending.
For Information:
Jody
Thompson
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
Tel. (613) 747-6022
communications@abo-peoples.org |
