Tony Belcourt

Belcourt was a member of the Governing Council of Trent University's Ph.D. program in Native Studies, the first such degree program at any university in Canada. He was a Patron of the Diana Fowler LeBlanc Aboriginal Social Work Scholarship. He is a member of the Aboriginal Advisory Council at the Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU) and was appointed to its Board of Governors in 2012. In January 2006, he received a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for public service. In 2010 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Laws by Lakehead University. In 2013 he was appointed by the Governor General of Canada to as an Officer of the Order of Canada.

These hemispheric relationships have led to discussions on trade and the projects involving Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In 2007, Belcourt was elected president of the newly founded Indigenous Commission for Communications Technologies in the Americas (ICCTA). The purpose of the Commission, made up of Indigenous representatives from 17 countries of North, Central, South America and the Caribbean is to promote the appropriate use and development of information and communications technologies to strengthen the recovery of the roots of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas and their legal, political, social, educational, cultural, spiritual and economic well-being.

Belcourt has been keenly involved in numerous actions for the recognition of Métis rights, including the landmark Powley case concerning the Métis right to hunt. On September 19, 2003, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Métis have a constitutionally protected Aboriginal right to harvest. This watershed victory in favour of Métis rights will be a lasting legacy for the Métis Nation of Ontario.

In 1993, Belcourt was instrumental in the formation of the Métis Nation of Ontario and since 1994 he has served as the founding president and was re-elected to that position in 1996, 1999, 2002 and 2005. In 2007 he retired from active Métis politics and did not seek re-election.

In 1992, Belcourt was given the privilege by the Rt. Hon. Joe Clark, of drafting the all-party resolution of the House of Commons which gave a long deserved recognition to Louis Riel and his contributions to Canada.

In 1985, Belcourt served as the Chairman of the Native Business Summit, a week-long extravaganza that occupied almost the entire Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This Summit was the first of its kind and raised the profile of Native businesses to an unprecedented level in Canada and throughout the world. The Summit consisted of five conferences running simultaneously, a trade show, an art gallery, and a gala of Aboriginal entertainment throughout. Attended by 2,000 delegates from nine countries, Princess Anne, along with Elder Rufus Goodstriker, opened the ceremonies and the Summit to business. The conferences, which saw the participation of CEOs from numerous Fortune 500 companies and the cream of Aboriginal business in Canada, resulted in $81 million worth of trade for Native business in one week.

During the round of talks leading to patriation of Canada’s Constitution in 1981, Belcourt was an advisor to the Native Council of Canada and the Inuit Committee on National Issues. In the fall of 1981, when the section on Aboriginal matters and the equality clause were dropped from the proposed patriated constitution, Belcourt co-chaired a massive “Aboriginal Rights Coalition” of First Nations, Métis and Inuit leadership who came together to lobby for the reinstatement of the Aboriginal rights clause. The lobby was successful with the inclusion of the present S.35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Belcourt served as an advisor and consultant to Yvon Dumont, then President of the Métis National Council, lobbying the federal government for the recognition of Métis rights.

As well, in 1973, Belcourt successfully lobbied the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to put into place the "Rural and Native Housing Program"—a program with goals to build 50,000 new homes in five years. In addition, a $1 million program for emergency repair and residential rehabilitation that would improve the housing conditions of Métis and Non-Status peoples was also negotiated.

In the mid-1970s, Belcourt operated a research company and began his career as a writer, producer and director in film, video, and radio production. From 1977 to 1981, he was Communications Director at the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs through the federal Executive Interchange Program. Shortly after returning to the private sector, Belcourt Wolfwalker Communications that went on to produce many programs directed to Aboriginal audiences and an award winning film (Moccasin Flats) that was featured on CTV's Canada Day programming.

Belcourt was elected Vice-president of the Métis Association of Alberta in 1969. In the fall of 1970 he was instrumental in the forming of the Native Council of Canada and served as its founding president from 1971 to 1974.

Anthony "Tony" Belcourt OC (born May 11, 1943) is a Métis Rights leader and activist in Canada. He was the first president of the Native Council of Canada (1971-1974). He is best known for his work as the founding President of the Métis Nation of Ontario in 1993 and his leadership through the Powley Case in 2003.