Shawn A-in-chut Atleo (

Ahousaht First Nation The Ahousaht First Nation is a First Nation government based on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It administers the community of Ahousaht, British Columbia, which encompasses much of Clayoquot Sound. The Ahousah ...

, born 1967), is an activist and politician, a former National Chief of the

Assembly of First Nations The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is an assembly of Canadian First Nations (Indian bands) represented by their chiefs. Established in 1982 and modelled on the United Nations General Assembly, it emerged from the National Indian Brotherhood, wh ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

(serving 2009 to 2014). He also has served since 1999 as a Hereditary Chief of the

, part of the

Nuu-chah-nulth The Nuu-chah-nulth (; Nuučaan̓uł: ), also formerly referred to as the Nootka, Nutka, Aht, Nuuchahnulth or Tahkaht, are one of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast in Canada. The term Nuu-chah-nulth is used to describe fift ...

Nation based in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...

Early years

Atleo was born in 1967 in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. Th ...

to an Ahousaht First Nation family. He earned his undergraduate degree at the

British Columbia Institute of Technology The British Columbia Institute of Technology (also referred to as BCIT), is a public polytechnic institute in Burnaby, British Columbia. The technical institute has five campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region, with its main campus in B ...

. He traveled abroad for a

Master of Education The Master of Education (MEd or M.Ed. or Ed.M.; Latin ''Magister Educationis'' or ''Educationis Magister'') is a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum ...

in Adult Learning and Global Change (MEd) from the

University of Technology An institute of technology (also referred to as: technological university, technical university, university of technology, technological educational institute, technical college, polytechnic university or just polytechnic) is an institution of t ...

in Sydney, Australia. As an adult, Atleo became an activist for the rights of

First Nations in Canada First Nations (french: Premières Nations) is a term used to identify those Indigenous Canadian peoples who are neither Inuit nor Métis. Traditionally, First Nations in Canada were peoples who lived south of the tree line, and mainly south ...

. He formerly served as Regional Chief (

) of the

. Since 1999 he served as a Hereditary Chief (''Hiwilth'') of the

, which is part of the

Nation."New AFN chief from B.C. boasts resume of education and community work". ''

Canadian Press The Canadian Press (CP; french: La Presse canadienne, ) is a Canadian national news agency headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Established in 1917 as a vehicle for the time's Canadian newspapers to exchange news and information, The Canadian Pre ...

'', July 23, 2009.

AFN leadership

Atleo was elected as the AFN's National Chief on July 23, 2009, at the

leadership convention {{Politics of Canada In Politics of Canada, Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leadership, leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader. Overview In Canada, ...

. He defeated

Perry Bellegarde Perry Bellegarde (born August 29, 1962; Little Black Bear First Nation) is a Canadian First Nations advocate and politician who served as National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations from December 10, 2014, to July 8, 2021.

( Little Black Bear First Nation) after eight rounds of voting. He was re-elected for a second term on July 19, 2012, in the third round of voting at the AFN's 2012 leadership convention.https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1228079--assembly-of-first-nations-national-chief-election-underway-in-toronto . ''The Star'', July 18, 2012. He resigned from his position as AFN Chief on May 2, 2014, amid controversy over Bill C-33, the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act.

Duties outside of AFN

In 2008, Atleo was appointed as Chancellor of

Vancouver Island University Vancouver Island University (abbreviated as VIU, formerly known as Malaspina University-College and earlier as Malaspina College) is a Canadian public university serving Vancouver Island and coastal British Columbia. Malaspina College began in 196 ...

Nanaimo Nanaimo ( ) is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. As of the 2021 census, it had a population of 99,863, and it is known as "The Harbour City." The city was previously known as the "Hub City," which was ...

. He was the first university chancellor appointed in the province's history who was of Aboriginal heritage. Atleo has also served as executive director of a family addictions treatment facility and of an Aboriginal post-secondary training institute, Umeek Human Resource Development. He participated in drafting the

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP or DOTROIP) is a legally non-binding resolution passed by the United Nations in 2007. It delineates and defines the individual and collective rights of Indigenous peoples, including th ...

. He also led a delegation to assist in rebuilding indigenous communities in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

Personal life

Atleo is a first cousin of Canadian

electronic music Electronic music is a Music genre, genre of music that employs electronic musical instruments, digital instruments, or electronics, circuitry-based music technology in its creation. It includes both music made using electronic and electromech ...

ian and producer

Rhys Fulber Nowell Rhys Fulber is a Canadian electronic musician and producer. He is a member of Front Line Assembly and Delerium, along with Bill Leeb. He also records under his own name and under the name Conjure One. Biography Rhys Fulber was born ...

. He is known for appearing on the Roadrunner United track "The End"..

Awards and honorary degrees

* The College of Family Physicians of Canada/Scotiabank Family Medicine Lectureship Award (2013) * Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from University of Cape Breton (2013) * Honorary Doctorate of Letters Degree from

University of New Brunswick The University of New Brunswick (UNB) is a public university with two primary campuses in Fredericton and Saint John, New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick. It is the oldest English-language university in Canada, and among the oldest public un ...

(2013) * 2013 Indspire Award (formerly the National Aboriginal Achievement Award) for Education * Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from

University of Guelph , mottoeng = "to learn the reasons of realities" , established = May 8, 1964 ()As constituents: OAC: (1874) Macdonald Institute: (1903) OVC: (1922) , type = Public university , chancellor ...

(2013) *

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (french: Médaille du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II) or The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2012 to mark the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ...

presented by

Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy ...

David Johnston David Lloyd Johnston (born June 28, 1941) is a Canadian academic, author, and statesman who served from 2010 to 2017 as Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation. He is the commissioner of the Leaders' Debates Commi ...

(2012) * Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from

Ryerson University Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU or Toronto Met) is a public university, public research university located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's core campus is situated within the Garden District, Toronto, Garden District, although i ...

(2012) * Honorary Doctorate of Laws Degree from Queen's University (2012) * Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law Degree from

Bishop's University Bishop's University (french: Université Bishop's) is a small English-language liberal arts university in Lennoxville, a borough of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. The founder of the institution was the Anglican Bishop of Quebec, George Mountain, who ...

(2012) * Honorary

Doctor of Technology The Doctor of Technology (abbreviated variously in different countries) is a degree normally conferred upon candidates after having completed a course of study in technology and a dissertation or a project of lengthy duration in a technologically r ...

Degree from

(BCIT) (2012) * Vancouver Magazine Power 50 Award (2011) * Ottawa Life Magazine Top 50 list of Capital People (2011) * Distinguished Alumni Award from the

University of Technology, Sydney The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) is a public research university located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Although its origins are said to trace back to the 1830s, the university was founded in its current form in 1988. As of 202 ...

(2011) * Vancouver Magazine Power 50 Award (2010) * Honorary

Doctor of Education The Doctor of Education (Ed.D. or D.Ed.; Latin ''Educationis Doctor'' or ''Doctor Educationis'') is (depending on region and university) a research or professional doctoral degree that focuses on the field of education. It prepares the holder for ...

Degree from

Nipissing University , mottoeng = Spirit of Integrity , established = , former_names = Northeastern University (1960-1967), Nipissing College (1967-1992) , type = Public University , academic_affiliation = COU, CVU, Universities Canada , endowment ...

(2010) * Vancouver Magazine Power 50 Award (2009)

References

External links

*''Imagining Canada - A Century of Photographs Preserved By The New York Times'

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atleo, Shawn 1967 births 20th-century First Nations people 21st-century First Nations people Assembly of First Nations chiefs British Columbia Institute of Technology alumni Canadian university and college chancellors First Nations academics Indigenous leaders in British Columbia Indspire Awards Living people Nuu-chah-nulth people Politicians from Vancouver University of Technology Sydney alumni