APTN National News
The first Indigenous person called to the bar in Western Canada died over the weekend.
William Wuttunee died in Calgary at the age of 87 at about 11:45 a.m. on Saturday.
Wuttunee was born on the Red Pheasant reserve in Saskatchewan in 1928.
He became a lawyer in Saskatchewan in 1952.
In 1961, Wuttunee organized the National Indian Council and was its first leader. The council became the National Indian Brotherhood which evolved into the Assembly of First Natinos.
His 1971 book, Ruffled Feathers, argued chiefs were too dependent on government money.
He was also banned from 13 reserves.
Wuttunee is the father of former APTN National News anchor Nola Wuttunee.
“Trailblazer” was the right way to describe Bill Wuttunee. I was honored to have him as a friend from when we first met in 1963 when I was a reporter at the Calgary Herald.
He granted me several interviews for the big book on Canada and the Indians that I will release in February. He very generously granted me permission to quote extensively from his 1972 book Ruffled Feathers.
There is a lot about Bill Wuttunee in my book. His is a story worth telling, worth reading.
Robert MacBain, Toronto