Coon Come had early taste of politics at Trent

Matthew Coon Come, the new national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, had one of his first tastes of politics at Trent University, studying political science here during the mid-1970s and serving as president of the Trent University Native Association.

He received Trent's highest award in 1998, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree for outstanding leadership in the advancement of native peoples, presented at the installation of Trent President Bonnie Patterson.

From Trent, Coon Come went on to McGill to study law. At age 21 he was asked by a delegation of Cree elders to run for election as the band's deputy chief, putting his political career into fast forward. He is now known throughout Canada and internationally for his efforts on behalf of aboriginal rights, treaties and aboriginal peoples' right of self-determination, and was re-elected by the James Bay Cree to four successive terms as Grand Chief.

In recognition of his leadership - marshalling "local, national and international environmental, human rights and tribal communities to create a strong coalition" to stop a massive hydroelectric project on his people's land - Coon Come was awarded the Goldman Prize, the pre-eminent environmental award in 1994. He also received the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 1995.

Perhaps more than any others aboriginal leader, Coon Come has been the voice that has been heard throughout Canada. He has met with the prime minister, provincial premiers and foreign leaders, and has spoken out to the Assembly of First Nations on what he sees as the danger posed to aboriginal and treaty rights across Canada by federal policy.

Under his direction the Grand Council intervened during the Supreme Court Reference on Quebec Succession, and argued successfully before the court that the rights of the aboriginal peoples may not be ignored.

Coon Come is perhaps best known for his international work to protect the traditional way of life of aboriginal peoples. He brought this issue to the Earth Summit in Rio and formed a coalition with other indigenous peoples and environmental organizations to defend the indigenous peoples' traditional use of the land. In addition to the Goldman Prize, he was also recipient of the Equinox Environmental Award and the Conde Naste Environmental Award.

Coon Come, 44, has made brilliant speeches around the world on the plight of aboriginal peoples. In October 1996, he spoke at Harvard University, at the Harvard Center for International Affairs and the Kennedy School of Government. His topic was the separatist aspirations of Quebec and how they affect aboriginals.

Coon Come's other major battle came earlier, in the 1980s, when he led the fight against the massive, $13 billion James Bay hydroelectric project, which threatened to flood much of the land that is Coon Come's home in northern Quebec. His campaign resulted in the Crees' right to renegotiate with Quebec the terms by which the hydroelectric project could be developed in the province.

Coon Come was born in a hut along the trap line his parents worked in northern Quebec. It was a seasonal encampment for the Cree, where they hunted and fished near James Bay. Coon Come didn't see a white man until he was six, and the white man turned out to be an Indian Affairs agent who came by float plane to take young Matthew away to a residential school.

The night before his election as grand chief, Coon Come drew thunderous applause when he said: "I want to be national chief, but (one) that lobbies and opens doors and facilitates. I don't want to be a national chief that competes with our chiefs and councils for programs and funding dollars."

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