He Moved a Mountain: The Life of Frank Calfer & the Nisga'a Land Claims Accord

This biography of Dr Frank Arthur Calder begins with his birth into the Nisga'a nation, on the Nass River in northern British Columbia. Before an assembly of the Nisga'a, Frank’s father declared that the young boy would be educated to move the mountain preventing the Nisga'a from obtaining their land title. Growing up, Frank attended residential school until grade 10, then completed high school and went on to graduate from the University of BC. It took him two years longer than usual to complete university as he had to return home during the fishing season to earn the money for his tuition. From there, he went on to become the first aboriginal person to be elected to any Canadian governing body. For twenty-six years he served as an MLA in the legislature of British Columbia. He became the driving force behind Canada’s decision to grant recognition of aboriginal land title to First Nations people (the Calder case in Canada’s Supreme Court). Since that time, Canada has served as a resource for aboriginal populations in countries where similar accommodations for aboriginal people have not yet been made. Calder received many honours in his lifetime, including the Order of Canada. The one he most cherished, however, was one rarely bestowed by the Nisga'a Nation: Chief of Chiefs .