Pioneer in Indigenous governance and education honoured
A man whose life is dedicated to the advancement of First Nations rights, sovereignty and Indigenous education was honoured recently by the First Nations University of Canada.
Senator Solomon Sanderson, a member of the Chakastaypasin Band of the Cree Nation was born in 1941 at James Smith First Nation. He served as chief of his reserve for three terms and as the leader of the Federation of Sovereign Nationals from 1979 to 1986, where he currently serves as a member of its senate.
“As a member of James Smith Cree Nation, Senator Sanderson has always been a source of inspiration and pride for our community. His pioneering initiatives in education and governance have laid a strong foundation for future generations. We are immensely proud of his achievements and the honour bestowed upon him by the First Nations University of Canada,” said Chief Calvin Sanderson of Chakastaypasin Band of the Cree Nation.
A press release from the Prince Albert Grand Council suggested under Sanderson’s leadership, “First Nations became much more active in asserting their political rights, culminating in the inclusion of these rights in the Canadian Constitution in 1982.”