Noel Victor Starblanket (September 26, 1946 – April 15, 2019) was a Canadian politician. For two terms from 1976 to 1980 he was chief of the National Indian Brotherhood (today known as the Assembly of First Nations).[1]
In 1971, at age 24, Starblanket became one of the youngest reserve chiefs in Canada.[6] He was elected Third Vice-Chief of the Executive of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians (FSIN) and Director of Treaty Rights and Research.[7] In 1975, he was elected president of the National Indian Brotherhood and was re-elected in 1978.[2]
Starblanket was asked to consider the position of Assistant Deputy Minister of Indian Affairs in 1980.[11] He spoke at the economics conference at the World Assembly of First Nations when President of the National Indian Business Association (NIBA).[12]
Starblanket, Morley Watson and Vern Bellegarde envisioned a Native hockey team and spurred the formation of the Lebret Eagles."[7]
In March 2001 he gave the keynote speech at the annual conference of the Association of Death Education and Counseling.[13] In 2001 he was interviewed for a project and the documentary, Starblanket: A Spirit Journey was later produced.[14]
In 2018, Starblanket became Elder-in-residence at Scott Collegiate, a high school in Regina. He worked with the University of Regina's Office of Indigenization.[2]Speaking January 13, 2019.
Personal life and demise
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