Gilbert W. Whiteduck
Indigenous Leader
Biography
Gilbert W. Whiteduck has been a trailblazer for Indigenous social justice and education during a long and distinguished career in public service.
Whiteduck excelled in the field of social work and graduated with an honours Bachelor of Social Work from Carleton in 1997. Before that, he received a Bachelors of Education from the Université du Québec a Chicoutimi in 1985 and a Master’s of Education from the University of Ottawa in 1991.
“Carleton’s School of Social Work energized my conviction that there was a tremendous need to fight for Indigenous social justice,” he says. “This was, and continues to be, what drives my passion to bring about culturally based visionary changes for this and future generations.”
A committed educator, he has served as a teacher, guidance counsellor, school principal and director of education during 33 years in the education system.
Whiteduck also played a pivotal role in his Kitigan Zibi Anishinabe community as a long-serving band council member and as chief from June 2008 to April 2015.
He has supported First Nations education through his service as a senior education advisor with the First Nations Education Council and as president of the First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centres.
He is presently serving as the Treatment Co-ordinator at the Wanaki Treatment Centre, providing help to First Nations and Inuit people with addiction issues.
