Elijah Harper, Cree, 1949-
He was Band Chief at Red Sucker Lake, northern Manitoba, from
1978 to 1981. In 1981, Harper became the first Treaty Indian to
be elected as a provincial politician winning the northern Manitoba
riding of Rupertsland for the NDP. In 1986, he was appointed Minister
without Portfolio responsible for Native Affairs. In 1987, he
was named Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister in charge
of the Communities Economic Development Fund Act. In 1990, Harper
achieved national fame as he took his stand in the Manitoba legislature
and refused to accept the Meech Lake Accord - it did not guarantee
rights to Canada's Aboriginal peoples, and the Manitoba assembly
could not approve the Accord. As a result, Newfoundland cancelled
a proposed vote on the Accord which, failing to pass in both Manitoba
and Newfoundland, it did not become law. Harper also opposed the
1992Charlottetown Accord, despite its support by the Assembly
of First Nations. A longer biography appears in Native Leaders
of Canada.
