Phil Fontaine
National Chief - Assembly of First Nations

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Phil Fontaine was one of the first leaders to draw public attention to the issue of residential schools. He was briefly jailed for occupying the Manitoba Regional Office of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) in protest over its attempt to end the treaty right to education. Among many other milestones, Phil Fontaine was also instrumental in establishing local control of education and a treatment center for alcoholism in his home community while Chief of the Sagkeeng First Nations.

More recently, Phil's experience, vision and determination produced an historic agreement to implement the inherent right of self-government. This agreement between First Nations of Manitoba and the Government of Canada was signed in December 1994. It provided for a formal, binding process to dismantle DIAND in Manitoba, to develop and recognize legally empowered First Nation government and restore First Nations Jurisdiction consistent with the inherent right to self-determination. He was awarded a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for community service in 1996.

Larry Phillip (Buddy) Fontaine was born on September 20, 1944 to Jean Baptiste and Agnes Fontaine (nee Spence) at Fort Alexander Reserve (Sagkeeng Anichinabe First Nation), 80 miles north of Winnipeg. He served three terms as the Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs; an organization made up 60 First Nations communities representing 90,000 people. He was elected National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, which represents 633 First Nations communities in Canada, on July 30, 1997.

Phil has two children, Mike and Maya, and two grandchildren. He jogs daily and played hockey for the Sagkeeng Old Timers for many years. He enjoys music, reading and researching aboriginal history. He also owns a historic photo collection of residential school students.

Education

Phillip Fontaine began his education at the residential school operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate at Sagkeeng. When he started school, he only spoke his mother tongue, the Anichinabe language. After nine years, he went on to the Assiniboia Residential School in Winnipeg and graduated from Powerview Collegiate in 1961.

In 1981 National Chief Fontaine graduated from the University of Manitoba with a degree in Political Studies.

Work History

For more than twenty years, National Chief Fontaine has worked on behalf of First Nations, both as an elected leader and in a number of senior positions in federal and First Nations governments.

He currently occupies the position of National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Previous to his election as National Chief, he served as Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs from 1989 to 1997. Before serving as AMC Grand Chief, Phil represented Manitoba at the Assembly of First Nations as Vice-Chief. He also worked with the federal government as Director General of the Yukon Region of DIAND and deputy coordinator of the federal government's Native Economic Development Program. He was also special advisor to the Southeast Tribal Council in Manitoba. He was Chief of Sagkeeng First Nations from 1972 to 1976.

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