Max Gros-Louis

Gros-Louis was born on 6 August 1931, in Wendake, Quebec, which was then known as Huron Village Indian Reservation. He was the son of Cecile Talbot and Gerard Gros-Louis. 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.{{cite news |last1=Cabana |first1=Julien |title=Max Gros-Louis, un homme plus grand que nature |url=https://www.journaldequebec.com/2020/11/03/max-gros-louis-un-homme-plus-grand-que-nature |accessdate=November 15, 2020 |work=Le Journal de Québec |date=November 3, 2020}} Gros-Louis attended school in Loretteville, but left at age 16.{{cite book|title=Rencontre|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QNJRAQAAMAAJ|year=1993|publisher=Secrétariat des activités gouvernementales en milieu amérindien et inuit|pages=172–173|volume=15-16}} As a youth Gros-Louis received the Wendat name Oné Onti, meaning "paddler".{{cite news |title=Max Gros-Louis, former grand chief of Huron-Wendat First Nation, dies at 89 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/max-gros-louis-wendake-chief-dies-1.5802459 |accessdate=November 15, 2020 |work=CBC |date=November 14, 2020}}

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. 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.{{cite book|author=Jane Campbell|title=The Retrospective Review (1820-1828) and the Revival of Seventeenth Century Poetry|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JF09DgAAQBAJ&pg=PA61|date=January 1, 2006|publisher=Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press|isbn=978-0-88920-866-7|pages=61–}} In the course of his business he travelled widely to other indigenous communities and this led to his involvement in politics.

In 1964 he was elected Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat Nation in Wendake. At this time the reservation measured just {{convert|16|ha|acre sqmi}} and Gros-Louis negotiated an increase in size to {{convert|164|ha|acre}}. He also negotiated the boundary of the nation's ancestral land with that of the Innu. Between 1965 and 1976 he was successively a founding member, vice president and secretary-treasurer of the Association des Indiens du Québec.[http://www.journaldequebec.com/2016/09/18/un-duel-entre-sioui-et-gros-louis-a-wendake "Un duel entre Sioui et Gros-Louis à Wendake"]. Le Journal de Québec, Jean-François Racine, September 18, 2016{{cite book|author=Caroline Desbiens|title=Power from the North: Territory, Identity, and the Culture of Hydroelectricity in Quebec|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Alae0xoELNMC&pg=PA232|date=May 15, 2013|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=978-0-7748-2418-7|pages=232–}} Gros-Louis was involved in creating the "Indians of Canada" pavilion at the Expo 67 world's fair in Montreal. In 1970 he became the Quebec representative to the National Indian Brotherhood.

Gros-Louis has written an autobiography titled First Among the Huron, published in 1973.[http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/max-gros-louis/ "Max Gros-Louis"]. The Canadian Encyclopedia. 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.{{cite book|author=Canadian Anthropology Society|title=The Rise of Native Self-Determination and the Crisis of the Canadian Political Regime|work=Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=idCoOfeL6YIC&pg=PA70|year=1992|publisher=Canadian Anthropology Society|pages=70–}} His first period as chief ended in 1984 but three years later he returned to the role, remaining until 1996. Gros-Louis was Director and Vice Chief of the Assembly of First Nations for ten years.{{Cite web |url=http://edimage.ca/edimage/grandspersonnages/en/carte_m01.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=March 3, 2010 |archive-date=September 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190917223905/http://edimage.ca/edimage/grandspersonnages/en/carte_m01.html |url-status=dead }}

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.[http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/416352/sioui-bat-gros-louis "Sioui défait Gros-Louis"]. Radio Canada, November 1, 2008 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.{{cite news |title=Max Gros-Louis, former leader of Huron Wendat First Nation, dies at 89 |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/7463555/max-gros-louis-huron-wendat-first-nation/ |accessdate=November 15, 2020 |work=Global News |date=November 14, 2020}} 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.

In 2010 Gros-Louis was involved in a controversy when he accepted a donation for a museum which did not yet exist."Max Gros-Louis sème la controverse". Jean-Luc Lavallée, Actualities, Canoe.ca, March 16, 2010 In 2012, a book about the life of Gros-Louis, written by Alain Bouchard, Max Gros-Louis Le corbeau de Wendake, was published.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20180115185711/https://www.lactuel.com/culture/2012/9/24/a-la-decouverte-du-vrai-max-gros-louis-3082216.html "À la découverte du vrai Max Gros-Louis"]}}. L'Actuel, Isabelle Chabot, September 24, 2012

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.{{cite web|title=Order of Canada Appointments|url=http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16283&lan=eng|website=The Governor General of Canada His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston|publisher=Governor General of Canada|accessdate=December 31, 2015}} 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.

Gros-Louis died on 14 November 2020, in Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, at the age of 89.{{cite news|url=https://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2020/11/14/max-gros-louis-nest-plus |title=Max Gros-Louis n'est plus |website=TVA Nouvelles|access-date=November 15, 2020|language=fr}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/2020-11-14/wendake/l-ancien-grand-chef-max-gros-louis-n-est-plus.php|title=Wendake | L'ancien grand chef Max Gros-Louis n'est plus|date=November 14, 2020|website=La Presse |last1=Ferah |first1=Mayssa }}

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{{cite web |last1=Freeman |first1=Alan |title=Huron-Wendat Grand Chief was a strong and charismatic advocate for his people |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-huron-wendat-grand-chief-was-a-strong-and-charismatic-advocate-for-his/ |website=The Globe and Mail |access-date=16 October 2021 |date=21 November 2020}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080409222624/http://franco.ca/edimage/grandspersonnages/en/carte_m01.html Page on The Great Names of the French Canadian Community]

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Category:1931 births

Category:2020 deaths

Category:Indigenous leaders in Quebec

Category:Huron-Wendat Nation people

Category:Officers of the Order of Canada

Category:Officers of the National Order of Quebec