View source for Elijah Harper

{{Short description|Canadian politician}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Elijah Harper
| honorific-suffix    = {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|OM|size=100%}}
| image               = File:Elijah Harper (1990).jpg
| caption             = Elijah Harper with Menno Wiebe, 1990
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1949|3|3|mf=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Red Sucker Lake First Nation|Red Sucker Lake]], [[Manitoba]]
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2013|5|17|1949|3|3|mf=y}}
| death_place         = [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]]
| residence           = 
| office1             = [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Churchill (electoral district)|Churchill]]
| term_start1         = 1993
| term_end1           = 1997
| predecessor1        = [[Rod Murphy]]
| successor1          = [[Bev Desjarlais]]
| office2             = [[Manitoba Minister of Northern Affairs]]
| term_start2         = February 4, 1987
| term_end2           = May 9, 1988
| premier2            = [[Howard Pawley]]
| predecessor2        = [[Harry Harapiak]]
| successor2          = [[Jim Downey (politician)|Jim Downey]]
| office3             = Manitoba [[Minister without portfolio|Minister without Portfolio]]
| term_start3         = April 17, 1986
| term_end3           = February 4, 1987
| premier3            = [[Howard Pawley]]
| office4             = Member of the [[Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]] for [[Rupertsland]]
| term_start4         = November 17, 1981
| term_end4           = November 30, 1992
| predecessor4        = [[Harvey Bostrom]]
| successor4          = [[Eric Robinson (Canadian politician)|Eric Robinson]]
| party               = {{unbulleted list | [[Manitoba New Democratic Party]] (1981–1993) | [[Liberal Party of Canada]] (1993–2013)}}
| alma_mater          = [[University of Manitoba]]
| religion            = 
| profession          = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = 2
}}

'''Elijah Harper''' {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|OM}} (March 3, 1949 – May 17, 2013) was a Canadian [[Oji-Cree]] politician who served as a member of the [[Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]] (MLA) from 1981 to 1992 and a [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|member of Parliament]] (MP) from 1993 to 1997. Harper was elected chief of the [[Red Sucker Lake First Nation|Red Sucker Lake Indian Band]] in 1978, serving for four years and worked as a policy analyst prior to entering politics. He was a key factor in the rejection of the [[Meech Lake Accord]], a proposed amendment of the [[Constitution of Canada|Canadian constitution]].

== Early life and education ==
Harper was born in [[Red Sucker Lake First Nation|Red Sucker Lake]], a [[Indian reserve|reserve]] in northern [[Manitoba]]. He attended [[Canadian residential school system|residential school]]s in [[Norway House]], [[Brandon, Manitoba|Brandon]] and [[Birtle, Manitoba]], then secondary school at [[Garden Hill, Manitoba|Garden Hill]] and [[Winnipeg]]. He studied at the [[University of Manitoba]] in 1971 and 1972. He later worked as a community development worker, a supervisor for the Manitoba Indian Brotherhood, and a program analyst for the [[Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs|Manitoba Department of Northern Affairs]].<ref name = "nationmedia">[http://www.nationmedia.ca/elijahharper/bio.html Elijah Harper Biography]</ref>

== Political career ==
In 1978, he was elected as the Chief for Red Sucker Lake Band (now [[Red Sucker Lake First Nation]]), a position he held for four years.

In 1981, Harper contested and won the sprawling northern Manitoba riding of [[Rupertsland]] for the [[New Democratic Party of Manitoba|New Democratic Party]] (NDP) to become the first [[Treaty Indian]] to be elected as a provincial politician. He was re-elected in the [[1986 Manitoba general election]]. On April 17, 1986, he was appointed to cabinet as a [[Minister without Portfolio]], responsible for Native Affairs. On February 4, 1987, he was named [[Manitoba Minister of Northern Affairs|minister of northern affairs]] and minister in charge of the ''Communities Economic Fund Act''.

Harper was dropped from the Cabinet on September 9, 1987, after being involved in a car accident while driving under the influence of alcohol. No one was injured in the incident. Harper subsequently pleaded guilty to refusing a breathalyzer test, leaving the scene of an accident and driving while impaired. He was fined $450, and his driver's licence was suspended for a year. Harper acknowledged his mistake, and entered an alcohol-rehabilitation program.<ref>Geoffrey York, "Pawley criticized on Harper move", ''Globe and Mail'', 24 November 1987, A11.</ref> He stopped drinking for good, and voluntarily stopped driving for five years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/when-harper-spoke-it-was-wise-to-listen-208618511.html|title=When Harper spoke, it was wise to listen|date=May 23, 2013|last=Marks|first=Don|website=Winnipeg Free Press|access-date=February 8, 2018}}</ref> He was reappointed as minister of northern affairs and minister responsible for native affairs, on November 23, 1987, and served in that role until the defeat of [[Howard Pawley]]'s government in 1988. He was again re-elected at the [[1988 Manitoba general election]].

===Role in Meech Lake Accord===
In 1990, Harper achieved national fame for his refusal to accept the [[Meech Lake Accord]], a constitutional amendment package negotiated to gain Quebec's acceptance of the ''[[Constitution Act, 1982]]''. Under the Manitoba legislature's rules of the day, the legislature had to unanimously consent to a motion for emergency debate that would bring the Accord up for vote. Harper was displeased that the Accord had been negotiated in 1987 without the input of Canada's [[First Nations in Canada|First Nations]].

{{cquote|Well I was opposed to the Meech Lake Accord because we weren't included in the Constitution. We were to recognize Quebec as a distinct society, whereas we as Aboriginal people were completely left out. We were the First Peoples here - First Nations of Canada - we were the ones that made treaties with the settlers that came from Europe. These settler people and their governments didn't recognize us as a Nation, as a government and that is why we opposed the Meech Lake Accord.<ref>''Elijah Harper''. All Our Relations. CBC http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2672432466 accessed March 29, 2016.</ref>}}

There were only twelve days before the ratification deadline for the Accord. Each day, the Manitoba government requested unanimous consent in the Assembly to consider the resolution.  Each day, Harper, while holding an [[Eagle#Religion and spirituality|eagle feather]], denied unanimous consent, so the resolution could not be debated. As a result, [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]] premier [[Clyde Kirby Wells|Clyde Wells]] cancelled a proposed vote on the Accord in the [[General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador|General Assembly of Newfoundland]]. Since the Meech Lake Accord failed to pass in both Manitoba and Newfoundland, the constitution was not amended.<ref>Cohen, Andrew, ''A Deal Undone: The Making and Breaking of the Meech Lake Accord'', Vancouver/Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, 1990.</ref> The same year, he won the [[Stanley Knowles]] Humanitarian Award, was voted as the "Newsmaker of the Year in Canada" by the [[Canadian Press]], was awarded the title of Honorary Chief for Life by Red Sucker Lake First Nation, and received a commemorative medal of Canada from the [[Governor General of Canada|governor general]] for his efforts in public service.<ref name="nationmedia"/> Harper also opposed the [[Charlottetown Accord]] in 1992.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

===Federal politics===
Harper resigned from the Manitoba legislature on November 30, 1992 with the intention of running in the federal election [[1993 Canadian federal election|due in 1993]]. He initially wanted to run for the [[New Democratic Party|federal New Democratic Party]] in the northern riding of [[Churchill (electoral district)|Churchill]]. However, the NDP leadership rebuffed him because that riding's NDP incumbent, [[Rod Murphy]], was not willing to stand down in Harper's favour. After considering offers from several parties, Harper agreed to join the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] in early 1993. He claimed that this change in party affiliation did not reflect a change in his principles; he intended to represent native interests in parliament, party lines notwithstanding. His presence in the Liberal Party was controversial, however; many former allies considered his decision misguided, and some Quebec Liberals did not want to be associated with the man who brought down Meech Lake.

Harper defeated Murphy in the 1993 election. He was a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Aboriginal Affairs. He was defeated by New Democrat [[Bev Desjarlais]] in the [[1997 Canadian federal election|1997 election]], and again in the [[2000 Canadian federal election|2000 election]].

===Later work===
Elijah Harper was appointed commissioner of the [[Indian Claims Commission]] on January 21, 1999, and remained in demand as a speaker until his death.

==Legacy==
For his work for his people, Harper received the [[Stanley Knowles]] Humanitarian Award in 1991, and a [[Indspire Awards|National Aboriginal Achievement Award]], now the Indspire Awards, in 1996.

A film based on Harper's life focusing in particular on the month of June 1990, when Harper blocked the Manitoba legislature from voting on the Meech Lake Accord, was directed by [[Paul Unwin (film director)|Paul Unwin]] and played in 2007 at the [[Vancouver International Film Festival]]. The film, entitled ''[[Elijah (2007 film)|Elijah]]'', was produced for the [[CTV Television Network]]. It stars [[Billy Merasty]] in the title role.

==Personal life and death==

Harper had some personal controversy. Creditors as well as his ex-wife sued him for financial claims in 1991.<ref name="province">{{cite news
 |url=https://theprovince.com/First+Nation+leader+Elijah+Harper+scuttled+Meech+Lake+accord+dies/8400761/story.html
 |title=First Nation leader Elijah Harper, who scuttled Meech Lake accord, dies at age 64
 |agency=[[Canadian Press]]
 |work=[[The Province]]
 |publisher=[[Postmedia Network]]
 |date=2013-05-17
 |access-date=2013-05-17
}}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Harper also had health problems. In the autumn of 1994 he had a mysterious illness doctors and native healers could not explain. On May 17, 2013, he died of heart failure due to complications from diabetes in Ottawa.<ref name="province" />

"It is always very difficult to go against the wind, and to stand up straight and say no when the easier path is to give in and go in the direction of the wind. I will always remember the image of Elijah Harper's courage and determination and his profound conviction", stated [[Ghislain Picard]], Chief of the [[Assembly of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador]].<ref>{{cite news
|url = http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1168281/the-assembly-of-first-nations-of-quebec-and-labrador-acknowledges-the-courage-of-elijah-harper-and-offers-its-condolences-to-his-family
|title = The Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador acknowledges the courage of Elijah Harper and offers its condolences to his family
|publisher = [[Canada Newswire]]
|date = 2013-05-17
|access-date = 2013-05-26}}</ref>

On May 20, 2013, Harper's open casket was draped with the [[flag of Manitoba]] as he lay in state at the [[Manitoba Legislative Building]] in Winnipeg where hundreds of supporters filed through to pay their respects. A funeral service took place later that day at the Glory and Peace Church in Winnipeg. Harper was buried at Red Sucker Lake First Nation.<ref>{{cite news
|url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/hundreds-pay-respects-to-elijah-harper/article12030987/
|title = Hundreds pay respects to Elijah Harper
|agency = [[Canadian Press]]
|publisher = [[The Globe and Mail]]
|date = 2013-05-20
|first=Steve |last=Lambert
|location=Winnipeg, Manitoba
|access-date = 2013-05-26}}</ref>

== Electoral history ==
{{1997 Canadian federal election/Churchill}}
{{1993 Canadian federal election/Churchill}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=9923}}
* [https://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/members/mla_bio_deceased.html#H0 Elijah Harper - Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]
* {{IMDb title|0886485|Elijah}}

{{Canadian Newsmaker of the Year}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harper, Elijah}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century First Nations people]]
[[Category:Canadian Protestants]]
[[Category:First Nations politicians]]
[[Category:Indigenous leaders in Manitoba]]
[[Category:Indigenous Members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:Indspire Awards]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Canada MPs]]
[[Category:Members of the Executive Council of Manitoba]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Manitoba]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of Manitoba]]
[[Category:New Democratic Party of Manitoba MLAs]]
[[Category:Oji-Cree people]]
[[Category:People from Northern Region, Manitoba]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba]]