Ovide Mercredi

Ambassador

Ovide Mercredi is a Cree, born in the northern community of Grand Rapids, Manitoba in 1946. A graduate of the University of Manitoba’s Robson Hall Faculty of Law in 1977, he practiced criminal law and later specialized in constitutional law as an advisor to Manitoba Chiefs.

In 1989, Ovide was elected Regional Chief of the Assembly of First Nations for Manitoba as well as appointed a member of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission. He became a key strategist for the Assembly during the time of the Meech Lake Accord constitutional reform discussions. He had an active leadership role in helping to resolve the Oka Crisis in 1990.

On June 12, 1991, Ovide was elected National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, a role which he held for two terms from 1991 to 1997.,

He served his community as Chief of Misipawistik Cree Nation from 2005 to 2011 and acted as a counsellor for three years after his terms as Chief.

Ovide became the first chancellor of Manitoba's University College of the North in 2007. For his work as an advocate of non-violent methods for change, he was nominated by the Government of India for the Gandhi Peace Prize.

He has received honorary law degrees from Bishop’s University, St. Mary’s University, Lethbridge University, Athabasca University, Cape Breton University, The Law Society of Ontario and The University of Manitoba.

In 2005 he was awarded the Order of Manitoba. Ovide became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2022 in recognition of his advocacy for Indigenous people in Canada.