Regional Chief Melvin Hardy

Regional Deputy Grand Council Chief (RDGCC) Melvin Hardy was elected in June 2021 to the Leadership Council Executive of the Anishinabek Nation, representing the Northern Superior Region, where he currently holds portfolios in Giigoonh Dodem (Fish Clan) – Lands & Resources and Makwa Dodem (Bear Clan) – Health & Healing, working to advance the priorities of First Nations across the region and the Anishinabek Nation as a whole. A veteran of the Canadian Army, RDGCC Hardy served as a paratrooper from 1979 to 1985, shaping his leadership, discipline, and commitment to service; he later attended Lakehead University and Ryerson University while working toward a Bachelor of Arts degree and built a career in mental health, addictions, and social services, where he developed a lifelong passion for Indigenous social advocacy. In 2016, he was elected Chief of Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek (formerly Rocky Bay First Nation), leading significant community, economic development, and infrastructure initiatives until 2021, when he was elected Regional Deputy Grand Council Chief. A proud grandfather of three, RDGCC Hardy frequently volunteers at speaking engagements and community events to raise awareness on social issues, residential schools, and child welfare; his Dodem (Clan) is Mukwa (Bear), and his Anishinaabemowin name, “Zhoongizi,” means “strong one for the people.”