Maynard Donald "Sam" George (July 1, 1952 – June 3, 2009) was a Canadian native rights activist. His brother Dudley George was killed following a standoff with

Ontario Provincial Police The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is the State police, provincial police service of Ontario, Canada. The OPP patrols Provincial highways in Ontario, provincial highways and waterways; protects Government of Ontario, provincial government buil ...

during the

Ipperwash Crisis The Ipperwash Crisis was a dispute over Indigenous land that took place in Ipperwash Provincial Park, Ontario, on September 4, 1995. Several members of the Stoney Point Ojibway band occupied the park to assert claim to nearby land which had be ...

. Sam played an important role in forcing a judicial inquiry, the Ipperwash Inquiry into the events at Ipperwash. He was born in

Windsor, Ontario Windsor ( ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is situated on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from the U.S city of Detroit, Detroit, Michigan. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Esse ...

, the son of Reginald George and Genevieve Rogers, the fifth of ten children. Both parents served in the Canadian military during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and had been forced off the Stoney Point Reserve by the Canadian government in 1942. George learned the trade of carpentry and later worked as a youth counsellor for the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation. He also coached amateur hockey. George was named to the

Order of Ontario The Order of Ontario is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the Advice (constitutional), advice of the Executive Council ...

in 2008. In presenting the award, Ontario's Lieutenant-Governor said "Sam George was steadfast in his quest for justice for his brother and his community. He is an inspiration to all Ontarians." On May 28, 2009, control of the former

Ipperwash Provincial Park Ipperwash Provincial Park is a former provincial park on the shores of southern Lake Huron in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. Located near Grand Bend, the park was established in 1936. It contains a long sandy beach on the lakeshore, as well a ...

was returned to the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation. George died of

pancreatic The pancreas (plural pancreases, or pancreata) is an organ of the digestive system and endocrine system of vertebrates. In humans, it is located in the abdomen behind the stomach and functions as a gland. The pancreas is a mixed or heterocrine ...

and

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

on the

Kettle Point Kettle & Stony Point First Nation (, meaning: "in/at the bay") comprises the Kettle Point reserve and Stony Point Reserve (which is under remedial cleanup after over 50 years of occupation by the Canadian Armed Forces), both located approximately ...

reserve near Sarnia at the age of 56.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:George, Sam 1952 births 2009 deaths Activists from Ontario Deaths from cancer in Ontario Members of the Order of Ontario Ojibwe activists People from Windsor, Ontario