Philip Morin passed away Aug. 1 (Submitted photo/ Tina Pelletier)

By Nigel Maxwell

A Chief's legacy

Respected elder and former grand chief remembered for kindness and service to community

Aug 5, 2019 | 2:01 PM

Space may be limited to standing room only this week, when a celebration of life is held on Wednesday for Philip Morin, Prince Albert Grand Council’s first grand chief.

Morin passed away Aug. 1 at the age of 81. His daughter Janice said her father was born on the trap line, and being on the land remained a key part of his life even though he would eventually move his own family to the city.

“Nobody else would be at Waskesiu and we would be the only ones there, sometimes we would have to snow show into our picnic spot and we would make a fire and drink tea and we would just watch the seasons change” she said, adding in the spring her father would be the first to say the ‘geese are back.”

(Facebook/ Cheryl Morin)

In addition to his work as Chief in the 1970’s, Morin was also a board member with the Prince Albert Health District. Morin said education was also very important to her father. She recalled a lesson her father once shared her when she was away at university.

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“He said Janice you have to recognize that you can have a phD living on the land or you can have a PhD in academia. He said don’t get those confused because they are both very, very important,” she said.

During his time as Chief Morin encouraged community members to go to university but they resisted because of the amount of travel that would be required. Janice said through her father’s work he created an education program in Pelican Narrows and brought in professors to the north.

Morin said despite having to spend one semester in Regina, many of the community members hated being away from home, but her dad would encourage them to stay. The students who graduated would later become future chiefs, principals and people in the community who have made a difference.

“And when they got their first pay cheque as teachers they came to my dad and they said we love you, and thank you for encouraging us,” she said.

There was another side to Philip Morin as well, his passion for golf. Morin could be up to his knees in water, walking through the bush, and still be talking about his favourite pastime or practicing his swing.

In his younger days, Morin was also quite the athlete. When he was 15 he played hockey for the Flin Flon Warriors, and would receive the Tom Longboat award for best male athlete. Morin said one of the most important lessons her father taught her was that family is important, the land is important, making a living is important, and to be proud of who you and where you come from.

The Prince Albert Grand Council Executive posted a statement about Morin on their Facebook page, praising his leadership and acknowledging his many contributions to the communities he served..

“Our hopes are that his family and community may find comfort knowing that he has left a tremendous legacy that will be felt for years and generations to come,” a section of the statement read.

A Celebration of Life ceremony for Morin has been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at Senator Allen Bird Memorial Gymnasium. The ceremony starts at 1 p.m.with lunch to precede and follow it.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell