Gilbert W. Whiteduck is (Anishinabe) Algonquin from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation community. He was elected Chief of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg community and served from June 2008 to April 2015. He had previously been elected to the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Band Council at different intervals, for a total period of 20 years + over the past 5 decades. Mr. Whiteduck holds a BSW(Honours), a B.Ed., an M.Ed., and an Honorary Doctorate which he received from the University of Ottawa in 1999 for his work in the field of education. He recently completed an Indigenous Law Certificate (School of Civil Law) at the University of Ottawa in 2024.
Mr. Whiteduck was engaged in the field of First Nations education for over 33 years. He has held numerous positions during this period including that of guidance counselor, teacher, school principal, and director of education. He subsequently served for 2 years as Senior Education Advisor with the First Nations Education Council which represents 22 First Nation communities in the Province of Quebec. Mr. Whiteduck has also served on local, regional, and national boards, committees, and working groups addressing an array of First Nations program issues. He served for 7 years as President of the First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centers which represents 50 First Nation Cultural Education Centres in Canada. He has worked as a Clinical Coordinator, Residential Counsellor and most recently Program and Services Team Lead for the past 9 years at the Wanaki Treatment Center (for substance use disorders) located in the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation community. The Wanaki Centre serves all First Nations people residing in the Province of Quebec as well as Inuit from northern Quebec. The Wanaki Centre also serves other First Nations peoples from across Canada and Inuit from Nunavut.
In addition to being involved with the Faculty of Law, Common Law as a Knowledge Holder he is also an Indigenous collaborator with the School of Social Work. He also sits as a member of the County of Carleton Law Association’s Reconciliation Committee as well as the Ottawa Indigenous Peoples Court Strategic Development Committee, Ottawa Riverkeepers, Gatineau Valley Historical Society (President) and co-founder of the Tenagadino Zibi Alliance ( Gatineau River). He also sits as a board member of the Indigenous Certification Board of Canada which certifies Indigenous Counsellors and other related staff who work in the field of mental health and addictions.
Mr. Whiteduck remains active in his efforts to ensure that First Nation voices are heard, but also understood, by everyone. He continues to seek balance through ceremony and connection to elders. He walks with an understanding of the historical past that guides him in respecting the present moments with humbleness and love. He believes that there remains important groundwork to be completed for some measure of reconciliation to be achieved but he remains hopeful for the present and future generations of youth that such will be achieved in their lifetime.