William Morin IV (

Cree The Cree ( cr, néhinaw, script=Latn, , etc.; french: link=no, Cri) are a Indigenous peoples of the Americas, North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations in Canada ...

: *Nahtokitopi*: "Rides a Sacred Horse"; born 1987 or 1988) known as Billy Morin is a Canadian

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 ...

leader and the elected

Chief Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

Enoch Cree Nation The Enoch Cree Nation #440 ( cr, script=Cans, ᒪᐢᑫᑯᓯᐦᐠ, ) is a First Nations in Canada, First Nations band government in Alberta, Canada. Members of the Nation are of Cree ancestry and speak the Plains Cree language, Plains Cree d ...

since August 2015. He has built partnerships among Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups toward economic and social prosperity and

reconciliation Reconciliation or reconcile may refer to: Accounting * Reconciliation (accounting) Arts, entertainment, and media Sculpture * ''Reconciliation'' (Josefina de Vasconcellos sculpture), a sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellos in Coventry Cathedra ...

Ancestry and Relationships

Morin is named after Chief William (Billy) Morin I, and is a fifth-generation decedent of Chief Alexis Morin. He shares two sons and a daughter with his wife Felecia.

Education

Morin graduated from

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

’s

St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School, SFX, St. FX is a high school in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, in the Ottawa Catholic School Board. The school serves grades 7-12 and opened in 2009. It is located in Gloucester and mainly serves the communities ...

, and is a graduate of the Civil Engineering Technology and Bachelor of Technology Management programs at the

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a applied sciences institute in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. NAIT provides careers programs in applied research, technical training, applied education, and learning designed to meet the deman ...

(NAIT). He also holds an Honourary Bachelor of Business Administration degree from NAIT. Before serving Enoch as Councillor and later Chief, he held positions with the City of Edmonton and

Government of Alberta The government of Alberta (french: gouvernement de l'Alberta) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Alberta. As a constitutional monarchy, the Crown—represented in the province by the lieutenant governor—i ...

Tenure as Chief of Enoch Cree Nation

In 2015, Chief Morin was elected as the youngest Chief in the history of Enoch Cree Nation (Maskêkosihk) at the age of 28 with a focus on economic development and strengthening relationships. Morin had served for two years as a band councillor prior to his election as Chief, and as school board chair, housing board chair, economic development chair and also a member of the River Cree board. Chief Morin’s accomplishments at Enoch Cree Nation include revitalizing Cree language and culture, promoting Indigenous tourism, advancing rural broadband connectivity, building a new primary school, initiating Edmonton’s first

urban reserve An urban Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne urbaine) is land that the Government of Canada has designated as a First Nations reserve that is situated within an urban area. Such lands allow for aboriginal commercial ventures which enjo ...

, concluding the first major investment through the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation through the $1.5 billion Cascade natural gas power plant, planning an Indigenous birthing and surgical centre, repatriating children's services through the Maskêkosak Newowacistwan Nâtamâkêwin Society, and signing a memorandum of understanding with the City of Edmonton to strengthen collaboration.

Tenure as Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations

In 2020, Chief Morin was elected by 16 other Chiefs to a one-year term as the Grand Chief of the

Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations Treaty 6 is the sixth of the numbered treaties that were signed by the Canadian Crown and various First Nations between 1871 and 1877. It is one of a total of 11 numbered treaties signed between the Canadian Crown and First Nations. Specifica ...

. Morin succeeded Dr. Wilton Littlechild from

Maskwacis Maskwacis (; cr, ᒪᐢᑿᒌᐢ, ), renamed in 2014 from Hobbema (), is an unincorporated community in central Alberta, Canada at intersection of Highway 2A and Highway 611, approximately south of the City of Edmonton. The community consists ...

, a lawyer who served as MP for the

Wetaskiwin Wetaskiwin ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. The city is located south of the provincial capital of Edmonton. The city name comes from the Cree word ''wītaskiwinihk'', meaning "the hills where peace was made". Wetaskiwin is ...

area in the 80s and 90s, and former commissioner on the

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC; french: Commission de vérité et réconciliation du Canada []) was a truth and reconciliation commission active in Canada from 2008 to 2015, organized by the parties of the Indian Reside ...

. During his term as Grand Chief, he led Treaty Six Chiefs’ response to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

, advocated for affordable housing, Indigenous sovereign healthcare, sustainable resource development, and stronger relationships with the private sector to create more Indigenous jobs. Morin also began working with the Government of Alberta to eliminate the Alberta Indian Tax Exemption (AITE) card and its redundant administration, signed the Alberta Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations Protocol Agreement with the Government of Alberta.

Regional Leadership

Morin has served on regional boards including Explore Edmonton, the First Nation Capital Investment Partnership, the Edmonton Region Hydrogen Hub, and Alberta Cancer Foundation.

References

1980s births First Nations politicians Cree people Living people Political office-holders of Indigenous governments in Canada 20th-century First Nations people 21st-century First Nations people Indigenous leaders in Alberta People from Parkland County {{DEFAULTSORT:Morin, William