Aurélien Gill, (August 26, 1933 – January 17, 2015) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

businessman, teacher and politician. Gill served in the Senate of Canada from his appointment in 1998 until his retirement in 2008.

Early life

Born in Mashteuiatsh, the only Native community in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec, Gill received a bachelor's degree in pedagogy from

Université Laval Université Laval is a public research university in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The university was founded by royal charter issued by Queen Victoria in 1852, with roots in the founding of the Séminaire de Québec in 1663 by François de Montm ...

. An Aboriginal businessman and advocate, Gill also has a background as a teacher and government administrator having been Quebec Director-General of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs. He was founding president of the Conseil Attikamek-Montagnais and chief of the Mashteuiatsh Montagnais community from 1975 to 1982 and from 1987 to 1989. Gill was made a Knight of the

National Order of Quebec The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as ''l'Ordre national du Québec'', and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is an order of merit in the Canadian province of Quebec. Instituted in 1984 when Lieutenant Governo ...

in 1991.

Political career

Gill ran for a seat to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1993 Canadian federal election. He faced three other candidates in the electoral district of Roberval. Gill was defeated by Bloc Québécois candidate

Michel Gauthier Michel Gauthier (; February 18, 1950 – May 30, 2020) was a Canadian politician, who served as leader of the Bloc Québécois from 1996 to 1997. As the party was the Official Opposition in the Parliament of Canada, Gauthier was also the ...

finishing second, he also finished ahead of future Member of Parliament Alain Giguère who finished a distant fourth place. He was appointed to the Senate on the advice of

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Jean Chrétien on September 17, 1998. He sat as a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

representing the Quebec senatorial district of Wellington. He retired from the Senate on his 75th birthday on August 26, 2008. Gill died on January 17, 2015.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gill, Aurelien 1933 births 2015 deaths 21st-century Canadian politicians 20th-century First Nations people 21st-century First Nations people Canadian senators from Quebec First Nations politicians Indigenous Canadian senators Indigenous leaders in Quebec Innu people Knights of the National Order of Quebec Liberal Party of Canada senators Members of the Order of Canada People from Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean Université Laval alumni