Max Gros-Louis

Gros-Louis was born on 6 August 1931, in Wendake, Quebec, which was then known as Huron Village Indian Reservation.[1][2] He was the son of Cecile Talbot and Gerard Gros-Louis.[3] Gerard Gros-Louis served for 16 years as vice-chief of the Huron-Wendat First Nation and the family had resided in Huron since Max Gros-Louis' great-grandfather Nicolas moved there with the Huron from L'Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec.[4] Gros-Louis attended school in Loretteville, but left at age 16.[3] As a youth Gros-Louis received the Wendat name Oné Onti, meaning "paddler".[1]

Gros-Louis initially made a living by hunting, fishing and trapping on the Huron-Wendat First Nation's traditional lands. He later worked as a guide, leading people on similar expeditions.[1] He also worked as a surveyor and as a travelling salesman. He later opened a small shop "Le Huron" where he sold snowshoes, moccasins and other First Nation crafts, and also managed a dance company.[5] In the course of his business he travelled widely to other indigenous communities and this led to his involvement in politics.[1]

In 1964 he was elected Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat Nation in Wendake.[6] At this time the reservation measured just 16 hectares (40 acres; 0.062 sq mi) and Gros-Louis negotiated an increase in size to 164 hectares (410 acres). He also negotiated the boundary of the nation's ancestral land with that of the Innu.[4] Between 1965 and 1976 he was successively a founding member, vice president and secretary-treasurer of the Association des Indiens du Québec.[6][7] Gros-Louis was involved in creating the "Indians of Canada" pavilion at the Expo 67 world's fair in Montreal.[2] In 1970 he became the Quebec representative to the National Indian Brotherhood.[2]

Gros-Louis has written an autobiography titled First Among the Huron, published in 1973.[2] In 1983 Gros-Louis represented First Nations Quebecers at federal constitutional conferences on aboriginal law. As Chief, he instituted a program to found businesses and create employment in his community.[8] His first period as chief ended in 1984 but three years later he returned to the role, remaining until 1996.[1] Gros-Louis was Director and Vice Chief of the Assembly of First Nations for ten years.[9]

Gros-Louis was once more elected Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat Nation in 2004, and remained in that position until 2008, when he was defeated by Konrad Sioui.[10] During his time as chief he worked to increase the size of the nation's territory, improve its international standing and to highlight maltreatment of indigenous people.[11] During his political career he served as national vice-chief of the Assembly of First Nations, vice-chief of the North American Assembly of First Nations and vice-chief of the World Assembly of First Nations.[4]

In 2010 Gros-Louis was involved in a controversy when he accepted a donation for a museum which did not yet exist.[12] In 2012, a book about the life of Gros-Louis, written by Alain Bouchard, Max Gros-Louis Le corbeau de Wendake, was published.[13]

Gros-Louis was awarded as an officer of the National Order of Quebec and in December 2015, he was awarded the Order of Canada with the grade of officer.[14] He also received honours from the Belgian l’Académie Diplomatique de la Paix and from France received the Legion of Honour and the National Order of Merit.[4]

Gros-Louis died on 14 November 2020, in Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, at the age of 89.[15][16]

• Page on The Great Names of the French Canadian Community