Rise Above

Lawrence Paul

Lawrence Paul (June 29, 1925 – May 1, 2010) was a Canadian Mi'kmaq leader and First Nations activist. Paul served as the chief of the Membertou First Nation of Nova Scotia from 1967 to 1969. Paul also co-founded the Union of Nova Scotia Indians.Paul was born on June 29, 1925, on Old Kings Road Reserve in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Paul served in the Canadian military during both World War II and the Korean War.In 1967, Paul was elected for a two-year term as chief of the Membertou First Nation, which is based in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality of Nova Scotia. Most members of the Membertou First Nation lived without basic utilities, such as indoor plumbing, during Paul's tenure as chief. He worked to expose the Membertou's poor living conditions to the general… more »