Elijah Harper was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at the 2 p.m. ceremony on Tuesday, June 5, “in recognition of outstanding contribution.to the Aboriginal community and democracy through public service.”
Elijah Harper is a distinguished leader in Canada’s Aboriginal community.
In 1978, he was elected chief of what is now.the Red Sucker Lake First Nation. He was Manitoba’s first treaty Indian to be elected as a Member of Legislative Assembly, a position he held fram 1981 until 1990.
In 1990, while sitting as an opposition member, he blocked the Canadian constitutional amendment known as the Meech Lake Accord due to the lack of adequate participation and recognition of Aboriginal people. Later
that year, he won the Stanley Knowles Humanitarian Award — the same presented to Nelson Mandela. He moved to the federal stage in 1993, when he was elected in the federal riding of Churchill. He served as a Member of Parliament for four years.
Mr. Harper has been recognized numerous times for his tireless work on behalf of the Aboriginal community, including receiving the
Commemorative Medal of Canada from the Governor General. In 2010, he received an Order of Manitoba for his dedication to work on
behalf of Aboriginal people.