Harold Cardinal
Harold Cardinal was a prominent Indigenous leader and advocate for the rights of First Nations people in Canada, born on January 27, 1945, in High Prairie, Alberta. Raised on the Sucker Creek Cree reserve, he faced challenges in his early education, which sparked his interest in socio-political activism. Cardinal became the youngest president of the Indian Association of Alberta at just 23 years old, serving from 1968 to 1977. He played a crucial role in opposing the Canadian government's 1969 White Paper policy, which sought to assimilate Indigenous peoples and terminate treaties, advocating instead for the rights and recognition of First Nations. Cardinal's influential writings, including "The Unjust Society," highlighted the systemic injustices faced by Indigenous communities, making significant contributions to the discourse on Indigenous rights in Canada. Beyond his advocacy, he was dedicated to education, teaching at the University of Saskatchewan and pursuing advanced degrees in law. Cardinal's leadership had a lasting impact, helping to shape Indigenous advocacy through initiatives like the National Indian Brotherhood, a precursor to the Assembly of First Nations. He passed away on June 3, 2005, leaving behind a legacy as a champion for Indigenous rights and empowerment.
Harold Cardinal
Canadian First Nations leader, author, and teacher
- Born: January 27, 1945
- Birthplace: Alberta, Canada
- Died: June 3, 2005
- Place of death: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Education: St. Patrick's College; Harvard University; University of British Columbia
Significance: Harold Cardinal rose to prominence in 1969 after he wrote a powerful counterpoint to a proposed change in Canadian policy toward the country's native tribes that was instrumental in ending the policy. He continued to be a strong proponent of the rights of Canada's indigenous people throughout his lifetime.
Background
Harold Cardinal was born on January 27, 1945, at High Prairie in Alberta, Canada. He was one of a large family that included three sisters and three brothers. Cardinal was raised on the Sucker Creek Cree reserve but received his early education in non-aboriginal public schools. While there, Cardinal was the victim of a number of upsetting and embarrassing torments by his classmates.
He developed an interest in radical social movements in the United States and studied sociology at St. Patrick's College in Ottawa. When he was only twenty-three years old, Cardinal was elected the president of the Indian Association of Alberta. The association began in 1939 as a lobbying group to protect and promote the rights of the aboriginal tribes in Alberta. Cardinal was the youngest person ever elected to that position and went on to serve in that capacity for nine terms.
Life's Work
On June 25, 1969, less than a year after Cardinal began leading the association, a document known as the Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian Policy was released. Presented by Jean Chrétien, who was then Canada's Indian affairs minister and later became the country's prime minister, the new policy's stated purpose was to give the aboriginal people the same rights and privileges as non-aboriginal Canadians. It became known as the White Paper.
To do so, however, the government was going to put an end to all previous treaties with the native people, integrate them with the rest of the population, put them under the authority of the provinces instead of the special authority of the reservations, and transfer all their property to individual native citizens. This meant they would be treated as any other citizen, without regard for any previous arrangements. The aboriginal people felt this disregarded the ways the government had taken advantage of its native citizens in the past and was not in keeping with the communal property culture under which the natives lived. The Indian Association of Alberta led the charge in opposing the new policy, and Cardinal was instrumental in the drafting of a challenge to the policy known as Citizens Plus. Published in 1970, the document became known as the Red Paper.
Cardinal also reinforced the native citizens' position by writing The Unjust Society: The Tragedy of Canada's Indians (1969). Cardinal's book gave many Canadians their first glimpse into the struggles of the aboriginal tribes. In addition to drawing attention to the many injustices perpetrated against the native people over the years, Cardinal provided background on the rights that should historically belong to his people. He likened the government policy to cultural genocide of the country's native people and gave voice to the powerful feelings of anger and injustice felt by First Nations people. The policy lost several cases before the country's Supreme Court, which upheld the previously made treaties. In 1982, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau recognized the policy was not going to meet his original goal of creating a more just society and the policy was abandoned.
Cardinal held the office of president of the Indian Association of Alberta continuously from 1968 to 1977. He also served as a chief of his home tribe at Sucker Creek in 1982 and 1983, and he had a short seven-month term as the regional director of Indian affairs in Alberta. Cardinal was also among those who negotiated with the federal government as part of the Prairie Treaty Nations Alliance, which he helped found in 1984. The alliance represented the native people of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
In addition to his advocacy work, Cardinal taught at the University of Saskatchewan. In 1977, he published The Rebirth of Canada's Indians. He also coauthored Alberta Elders' Cree Dictionary, published in 1998, and Treaty Elders of Saskatchewan, published in 2000.
While continuing to work with and on behalf of the indigenous people of Canada, Cardinal also pursed several advanced degrees. He studied law at the University of Saskatchewan and earned his master's degree from Harvard University. Cardinal continued working toward a doctorate of law at the University of British Columbia. He earned his doctorate the day before he died of lung cancer on June 3, 2005; the degree was awarded posthumously in 2006.
Impact
Through his tireless lobbying efforts and forceful writing, Cardinal was a strong influence on Canadian policies toward its aboriginal people. He helped establish the National Indian Brotherhood, which was the forerunner of the national advocacy group the Assembly of First Nations, which gives voice to the concerns of hundreds of thousands of Canada's native people. Cardinal served as a vice-chief of the assembly in 1983. He also stood as a positive example for the next generation of leaders of Canada's indigenous people.
Personal
When he died, Cardinal left behind his wife, Maisie, and their six children: sons Sheldon, Cory, Raymond, and Jaret, and daughters Cheryl and Sara, as well as several grandchildren. He was laid to rest in the Sucker Creek Cemetery.
Principal Works
- The Unjust Society: The Tragedy of Canada's Indians, 1969
- The Rebirth of Canada's Indians, 1977
- Alberta Elders' Cree Dictionary (coauthor), 1998
- Treaty Elders of Saskatchewan (coauthor), 2000
Bibliography
Depasquale, Paul. "Remembering Harold Cardinal." University of Alberta, 2011, ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/crcl/article/download/10814/8369. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
"Harold Cardinal." The Canadian Encyclopedia, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/harold-cardinal/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
"Harold Cardinal." Edmonton Journal, 5 June 2005, www.legacy.com/obituaries/edmontonjournal/obituary.aspx?n=harold-cardinal&pid=14179408. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
"Harold Cardinal." Today's Canadian Birthdays Canada Channel, canadachannel.ca/canadianbirthdays/index.php/Harold‗Cardinal. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
"1969 White Paper on Indian Policy." Canada's Human Rights History, historyofrights.ca/encyclopaedia/main-events/1969-white-paper-indian-policy/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.
Pue, Wesley. "Harold Cardinal: An Inspirational Warrior." University of British Columbia News, 4 May 2006, news.ubc.ca/2006/05/04/archive-ubcreports-2006-06may04-cardinal/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2017.