Larry Phillip Fontaine was awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at the 2 p.m. ceremony on Tuesday, June 11, “in recognition of outstanding accomplishments and leadership on issues of Aboriginal societies in Canada and internationally and setting a model for generations to come.”
Phil Fontaine is the former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AEN) and is the longest serving National Chief in AFN history, elected for an unprecedented three terms. He has been instrumental in raising
awareness of the importance of human rights to all Canadians and First Nations peoples, in particular. He is a citizen of the Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba.
As AFN National Chief, Mr. Fontaine was instrumental in the successful resolution and settlement of the 150-year Indian residential school tragedy, which led to a historic apology by the Canadian government. He also signed the Declaration of Kinship and Cooperation of the Indigenous and First Nations of North America and was the first indigenous leader to address the Organization of American States. Currently, he acts as a senior advisor to Norton Rose Canada LLP, counsel to Chieftain Metals, counsel to Avalon Rare Metals, and is special advisor to the Royal Bank of Canada and Trans Canada Pipelines.
He holds 14 honorary doctorate degrees from Canadian and U.S, universities. In 1996, he was honoured with the National Aboriginal
Achievement Award and is a Member of the Order of Manitoba. In 2010, he received the Equitas Human Rights Education Award, which recognizes exceptional contributions made in the field of human rights education. He has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth Il Diamond Jubilee Medal and, most recently, was appointed to the Order of Canada.