Counsel Public Affairs is incredibly proud to congratulate John Beaucage (Eyaabay) on his appointment to the Order of Canada.
The Order of Canada honours people who make extraordinary contributions to the country. John has been recognized “For his exemplary leadership and commitment to advancing the well-being and prosperity of Indigenous communities in Canada.”
We can think of no more fitting an honour for our friend and colleague John. He is a leader, a builder of bridges, and a genuinely kind person who is constantly working to create a better country for every member of our shared society.
Among his many public service roles, John has served as Chief of Wasauksing First Nation, Grand Council Chief of the 42-member First Nations of the Anishinabek Nation (Union of Ontario Indians), and Ontario’s first Indigenous Advisor to the Minister of Children and Youth Services. He also sat on numerous boards as well as the Premier’s Cabinet for Smoke-Free Ontario, Ontario’s Expert Panel on Climate Change, and the Ontario Biodiversity Council.
John worked for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) for over 25 years in Ottawa. In May of 2008, he was appointed Chairperson of the $300 million First Nations Market Housing Fund, announced as a new and innovative way to give First Nations citizens the opportunity to own their homes on reserve.
Today, John works on green energy projects with several Indigenous communities across the country and serves as Chairperson of Nigig Power and Mitgoka Power.
We at Counsel have had the privilege of working with John for over a decade. He has been instrumental in growing our Indigenous facilitation practice and our “Nibwaakaawin” training offering, both of which help companies and organizations to engage respectfully with Indigenous peoples whose interests intersect with their work. We have worked together on many projects, often bridging the gap between government, the private sector, and First Nations.
John is a rare person who combines hard-work and intelligence with a warm-heart, ready smile, and a genuine desire to help others. It has been and remains our privilege to know him as a colleague, mentor, and friend. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to John Beaucage on this much-deserved honour!
John’s biography can be found here.