MICHAEL CACHAGEE
BIOGRAPHY

 

 

 

Michael Cachagee is a member of the Chapleau Cree First Nation and one of the founding members of the Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association. He is conversant in his Cree language and has working knowledge of Oji-Cree and Nishnawbe. Having previously attending two other Indian Residential Schools in the province he was moved to the Shingwauk Indian Residential School as a young man to attend high school in the city of Sault Ste. Marie. He would return later in his life to attend classes as an adult student at Algoma University College and Laurentian University in Sudbury where he attained a B. A. Hons. (Political Science) and is also holder of a number of Inter-Provincial Trade Certifications.

 

Mike has been involved in First Nation politics for well over twenty five years and has served in a number of related capacities such as being the Chief in his community of Fox Lake, the lead negotiator in First Nation’s Treaty Land Entitlement claim, a member of the Governance and Education negotiating team for Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) and political advisor to the Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation. He continues to work for NAN in the role as their representative in the tri-lateral Treaty Discussion Forums and is often sought out as an “expert” in related native political issues. Mike has worked as the Native Student Advisor with AUC and has also served as the Dean of Native Studies at Confederation College in Thunder Bay. He has also served two terms as president of the Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Center and was a lead in the formative years when these centers were being established across Canada.

 

His recent activities have seen Mike involved in the move to seek a settlement in the form of the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement which became official as of September 19^th 2007. He is the president of the National Residential School Survivors Society and has been recognized nationally for his work in the area of healing and reconciliation amongst his peers who had attended the schools across Canada. He is also the coordinator of the Health Support System for the province of Ontario and continues to assist former students that require emotional support as they deal with their residential school experiences.