Rod Bushie ( – June 14, 2013) 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 ...

Anishinaabe The Anishinaabeg (adjectival: Anishinaabe) are a group of culturally related Indigenous peoples present in the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States. They include the Ojibwe (including Saulteaux and Oji-Cree), Odawa, Potawatomi, ...

elder who served as the Grand Chief of

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC; preceded by the Manitoba Indian Brotherhood) is an Advocacy association, association that advocates on issues affecting First Nations in Manitoba. Representing 62 of the 63 First Nations in Manitoba, the prov ...

, the largest

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...

organization in

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

, from 1997 to 2000. Bushie served as the Chief of the

Hollow Water First Nation Hollow Water First Nation ( oj, Waanibiigaaw also spelt as ''Wanipigow'') is an Anishinaabe (Ojibwa) First Nation located on the east side of Lake Winnipeg, Canada, north of Pine Falls, Manitoba, and north of Winnipeg. The main economic base o ...

, his home community, prior to his election as head of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs in 1997. In August 1997, Bushie was elected Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, serving until 2000. Bushie was one of the creators of devolution, which transferred child welfare services to

First Nation Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

and

Métis The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States. They have a shared history and culture which derives ...

authorities. In 2007, Bushie was defeated in an election to become head of the Southern Chiefs Organization. Bushie was a founder of the Aboriginal Curling Bonspiel and sat of the boards of directors of several community organizations, including the Adam Beach Film Institute. Rod Bushie died from lung cancer on June 14, 2013, at the age of 60. The current Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, Derek Nepinak, released a statement, ""On behalf of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, I offer sincere condolences to his wife Eileen and children, along with the family and friends of Rod Bushie."

References

2013 deaths Indigenous leaders in Manitoba Ojibwe people 1950s births Deaths from cancer in Manitoba Deaths from lung cancer {{Manitoba-politician-stub