Ted Moses, Cree, 1950-
He is an internationally recognized expert on Aboriginal
rights. Born in the northern community of Nemaska, Ted Moses still
actively pursues Cree traditional activities as tallyman of his
family's trapline. Educated at Ryerson and McGill Universities,
Grand Chief Moses has had a lifelong commitment to the defense
of aboriginal rights and of human rights. At a young age he acted
as Band Manager in Eastmain, Quebec, and then as Chief of Eastmain.
He played a key role in the 1973 legal proceedings concerning
hydro development in James Bay, which eventually lead to the decision
of Justice Malouf in favor of the James Bay Crees. He subsequently
was the Chief Cree Negotiator of the JBNQA in 1974 and 1975. He
also took part in the negotiations leading to the 1984 Cree-Naskapi
(of Quebec) Act, Canada's first local self-government legislation.
He was the first director-general of the Cree School Board and
played an important role in setting it up. Moses was instrumental
in winning consultative status for the GCC(EI) from the United
Nations in 1987. In 1989, he was elected as the Rapporteur of
the United Nations meeting on the Effects of Racism and Racial
Discrimination on the Social and Economic Relations between Indigenous
Peoples and States. He is the first aboriginal person to be so
honored by the international community. He is recognized as a
United Nations expert on aboriginal and human rights, having several
of his speeches and articles published in international journals.
He is a founding member of the Indigenous Initiative for Peace,
and has accompanied many peace missions in conflict zones in Chiapas
and Columbia. Moses acted for many years as the Cree ambassador,
and continues to play a vital role in the on-going work at the
United Nations to obtain recognition in international law of the
rights of the world's indigenous peoples. Moses has received many
awards and accolades: honourary Doctor of Laws degrees from the
University of Saskatchewan (1996) and Concordia University (2005)
in recognition of his international human rights work and his
advocacy on behalf of aboriginal peoples in Quebec and Canada;
Man of the Year (2001) by the Quebec news magazine l’Actualité
and Personality of the Year (2003) by the largest newspaper in
Quebec, La Presse. He was named to the Order of Quebec in 2002.