Chief Wilton Littlechild has demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout his career, working tirelessly to promote human rights, particularly those of Aboriginal peoples. Since 1977, he has successfully practiced law on the Ermineskin Reserve in Alberta. He has traveled extensively and has successfully engaged in numerous national and international activities. He was the first Treaty Indian Member of Parliament to represent the riding of Wetaskiwin, Alberta, from 1988 to 1993. More recently, he was one of the commissioners of Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). He is currently chairing an interim board of directors for the new National Reconciliation Council, an "independent national watchdog" that will act as a watchdog, holding governments and society to account on reconciliation goals, monitoring and reporting on progress, and promoting dialogue.

Beyond Canada, Willie Littlechild has been a pioneer in and for the global indigenous rights movement. He worked diligently for over 30 years on economic, social, cultural, civil, political and spiritual rights at the United Nations. He was actively involved in the process leading up to the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007); he was North America's representative on the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and Chairman of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Willie Littlechild's many wise contributions to the social fabric for his people and for all of us, as we find new ways to share our lands, traditions and aspirations, have given us hope and confidence as we look to the future together.