Wilfred King

Wilfred King is a member of Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek – Gull Bay First Nation (KZA – GBFN), tracing his lineage to the time of contact, speaks Ojibway, and is the second youngest of ten children.

As KZA-GBFN Chief from 2002-2010, he built GBFN services up to an unprecedented level of more than twenty-two on-reserve health programs and fought to secure over $35,000,000 in capital projects for his community. Under his leadership and based on his personal integrity and commitment, he took the Nation to a place of financial sovereignty – where control of how community dollars were spent was removed from the hands of third-party managers and was rightfully given back to FN leaders to administrate. But in December of 2010, he lost his bid for re-election as Chief. In January 2013, King was re-elected as Chief of KZA-GBFN and inherited what could only be labeled as a financial catastrophe from the previous and his Council. He worked with creditors to address the unpaid bills, fighting to ensure that GBFN did not slide into bankruptcy or third-party management, and worked with various federal and provincial departmental officials in re-establishing funding and sound operational management plans to move the Nation forward.

Wilfred is a dynamic speaker who carries forward a vision of social equality and prosperity for FN people. King has a great interest to advocate for projects that not only develop positive economic opportunities but that is also environmentally respectful, socially appropriate and reflect the Grandfather Teachings for seven generations yet to come.