War veteran, Indigenous leader.
Born on 5 November 1925 to Augustine and Therese Morrisseau, he attended the Fort Alexander Indian Residential School then enlisted in the Canadian Army in 1940 at the age of 15. He was a Private and Dispatch Rider and also served in the Army Service Corps, not only in Canada, but also in the United Kingdom and continental Europe, including France, Belgium, Holland, Scotland, Germany, and Normandy. He took part in the Invasion of Normandy (D-Day) and received various commendations in his 1939-1945 tour of duty: the Star of France, Star of Defence Germany Medal 1939-1945, and Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.
He returned to civilian life upon demobilization, then re-enlisted for duty to fight in Japan, but the war ended before those duties began. However, he served for one year as a Peacekeeper. Upon his death, he is reported to have been the last Aboriginal Second World War veteran in Manitoba, and over the years attended numerous Veterans Day ceremonies in Ottawa, placing the wreath on behalf of the Canadian Aboriginal Veterans Affairs.
For ten years, he worked at the Abitibi Paper Mill then for J. D. Construction. He was elected Chief of the Fort Alexander First Nation, served one term (1978-1980), and became involved with Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAC) and the Manitoba Indian Brotherhood (later called the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs). Before retiring from his career, he was a building contractor.
He enjoyed fishing and golfing. With his wife Lillian Marie Cochrane (1929-2012) he had nine children.
He died at Pine Falls on 22 July 2009.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 24 July 2009.
Obituary [Lillian Marie Morrisseau], Winnipeg Free Press, 12 December 2012.
“To rob the world of a people”: An Instance of Colonial Genocide in the Fort Alexander Indian Residential School by Natalia Ilyniak, Master’s Thesis, University of Manitoba, 2014.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 1 May 2025
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