Willie Littlechild, also known as J. Wilton Littlechild or Wilton Littlechild, is a Cree

Cree

The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...

 Canadian lawyer

Lawyer

A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...

 and former Member of Parliament.

History

As a young man, Wilton Littlechild was a successful athlete who won ten Athlete of the Year Awards. He obtained a master's degree in physical education

Physical education

Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....

 from the University of Alberta

University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...

. He later became the first Treaty Indian from Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

 to obtain a law degree

Law degree

A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...

.

Littlechild was the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

 for Wetaskiwin

Wetaskiwin (electoral district)

Wetaskiwin is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1925.-Geography:...

 from 1988 to 1993. Littlechild did not stand for reelection in the 1993 general election. Since leaving Parliament

Parliament of Canada

The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...

, Littlechild has continued to be involved in politics. He was the founder of the International Organization of Indigenous Resource Development, a United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 non-governmental organization

Non-governmental organization

A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

.

Littlechild is a member of the Ermineskin Cree Nation

Ermineskin Cree Nation

Ermineskin Cree Nation is a First Nation, a western branch of the large Cree Nation, and a Treaty 6 nation.As of 2008, there are 3,758 registered Ermineskin Cree, of which 2,606 were living on reserve....

. The Indian Association of Alberta

Indian Association of Alberta

The Indian Association of Alberta is a province-wide First Nations rights organization. It was founded in 1939, after splitting off from the League of Indians in Western Canada.-Further reading:...

 presents the Willie Littlechild Achievement Award to six First Nations

First Nations

First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...

 students each year.

In 2006, Littlechild was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award of the Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians

Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians

The Canadian Association of Former Parliamentarians is a non-profit organization, established by an Act of the Parliament of Canada, the membership of which is composed of former members of the Senate or House of Commons of Canada.-History:...

, awarded for "outstanding contributions to the promotion and understanding of Canada's parliamentary system of government".

See also

• 34th Canadian parliament
  34th Canadian Parliament
  The 34th Canadian Parliament was in session from December 12, 1988 until September 8, 1993. The membership was set by the 1988 federal election on November 21, 1988, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 1993 election.It was...
  
  
• Wetaskiwin, Alberta
  Wetaskiwin, Alberta
  Wetaskiwin is a small 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 wītaskīwin-ispatinaw , meaning "the hills where peace was made"....