Matthew Coon Come

(About) The Grand Chief
Matthew Coon Come • I choose to forgive

Matthew Coon Come
National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations
In office 2000–2003
Preceded by	Phil Fontaine
Succeeded by	Phil Fontaine
Personal details
Born	1956 Mistissini, Quebec

Matthew Coon Come (born 1956) is a Canadian politician and activist of Cree descent. He was National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations from 2000 to 2003.

Born near Mistissini, Quebec, Coon Come was first educated in a residential school. He later studied political science at Trent University, and law at McGill University.

Coon Come was first elected as grand chief and chairman of Quebec's Grand Council of the Crees in 1987. He became known internationally for his efforts to defend the fundamental rights of First Nations peoples, notably in the campaign against the Quebec government's James Bay hydroelectric project.

He was awarded with a National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 1995. In 1998 he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Trent University.

External links

• Matthew Coon Come, National Aboriginal Achievement Awards biography
• Matthew Coon Come: Interview with Rex Murphy, CBC
• Profane put down by Coon Come shocks GCC meeting, James Bay Cree Nation