Tony Belcourt
| Tony (Anthony) Belcourt O.C., LL.D. (Hon.) | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lac St. Anne, Alberta, Canada |
| Residence | Ottawa, Ontario |
| Nationality | Metis, Canadian |
| Occupation | Aboriginal Political Activist |
| Spouse(s) | Danielle Choquette |
| Children | Christi Belcourt, Shane Belcourt, Suzanne Belcourt |
| Parent(s) | Emile Belcourt, Matilda L'Hirondelle |
| Relatives | Orval Belcourt, Kathy (Belcourt) Rasmussen, Bernadette (Belcourt) Roberts (deceased), Elaine Belcourt |
| Website | www.tonybelcourt.com |
Tony (Anthony) Belcourt (born May 11, 1943) is a Métis Rights leader and activist in Canada. He is best known for his work as the founding President of the Métis Nation of Ontario in 1993 and his leaderhship through the Powley Case in 2003. Belcourt is recognized within the Métis community as one of the preeminent Métis leaders in Canada.
Belcourt was born in the Métis community of Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta. His career as a Métis leader in Canada spans four decades and continues to have a positive influence for Métis, other Aboriginal nations across Canada and Indigenous peoples worldwide.
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.
In his time as the President of the Native Council of Canada, Belcourt was successful in convincing the federal government to include Métis and Non-Status organizations in their newly announced core-funding program, which, up to that point, was exclusively for Status Indians.
In addition to assisting in the development of other Métis and Non-Status organizations throughout Canada, helped create a national voice for Canada's Métis and Non-Status Indian people.
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.
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