Honorary degree bestowed on education leader

Thompson Rivers University's Open Learning division has recognized the achievements of a national leader in Aboriginal education with an honorary doctorate in letters bestowed in Burnaby on June 15.

Nathan Matthew is a member of the Simpcw Nation. He attended the University of British Columbia, where he graduated with a bachelor of recreation education degree in 1972. He then went on to earn another bachelor's degree, education professional, in 1978.

He was first elected Simpcw chief in 1976-77, then served in that position again for the period 1985 to 1987, and then again took office for a 17-year period, from 1989 to 2006.

Education has been a priority for Matthew throughout his professional career, and he has been called the education chief of Canada. He was a founding member in 1985 and then continuous chair of the First Nations Education Council for School District #73, and initiated the signing of the first five-year Education Improvement Agreement, and followed it up with an Enhancement Agreement. He was elected chair of the Chief's Committee on Education for the Assembly of First Nations in 1998, holding that position for 10 years, until 1998, and then taking it up again from 1999 to 2006.