The Honourable James Gladstone

In 2000, Rosemary Breault-Landry was commissioned to sculpt the portrait of the Honourable James Gladstone (1887–1971), the first person of First Nations status appointed to the Senate. Her rendition of the senator captures not only his likeness but also the symbol of hope that he became. Gladstone was a passionate activist for Indigenous equality in mainstream Canadian society. With his calm demeanour and easy nature, he became the guide that Indigenous and settler communities needed — the bridge between two worlds that changed policy and opened eyes. 

In the pursuit of making a good life for his family and earning the pride of his Kainai Nation, Gladstone struggled against the power of the Indian agents and the confines of the Indian Act. He was a progressive farmer and entrepreneur who sought a shift in governmental relations that would allow for greater autonomy on his reserve. He succeeded in 1934 when his farm became prosperous, which set a trail of progress for his peers to follow.

In 1945, Gladstone joined the Indian Association of Alberta (IAA), an organization of tribes pursuing solutions to common problems on their reserves. With his diplomatic disposition, Gladstone united the Indigenous voices of the province. Understanding the power of their unified action, the IAA petitioned Parliament for infrastructure improvements on reserves, education opportunities, land rights, liquor rights, full religious liberty and the right to vote.  With Gladstone as a delegate, the IAA brought about a new awareness of the Indigenous perspective and influenced the federal committees and government to amend the Indian Act in 1951. 

Gladstone was appointed to the Senate in 1958 and served as an Independent Conservative until he retired in 1971. To honour his people, his maiden speech was spoken in his native Blackfoot language. This was the first time a member of the Upper House had spoken in a language that was not one of Canada’s official languages of French and English. It was a gentle reminder of who the first people of the land were. He was honoured to represent the Indigenous voice in Ottawa and to participate in securing the federal vote for all First Nations people in 1960.

Gladstone’s belief that one did not have to abandon Indigenous culture in order to succeed in settler society is powerfully reflected in his portrait: he is sculpted wearing a feather headdress and regalia, representative of a proud Indigenous people.

Breault-Landry has captured the openness of Gladstone’s character. Gladstone travelled the country accepting invitations to visit First Nations communities in order to garner their points of view. His acute listening skills and innate empathy endeared him to others and bridged the chasms of misunderstanding between Indigenous communities and the federal government. He understood First Nations’ distrust and suspicion of government intentions. Yet he also recognized some good acts, however misguided, on the part of the government who sought to reform policy without consultation. Old bureaucracy was slow to change, but Gladstone encouraged his people to persist in eroding the colonial bounds that constrained them. Upon a visit to Kenora, Ontario, in the fall of 1965, Gladstone promoted Indigenous engagement: “We have to pitch in and regain all that we have lost in the past 50 years and more.”

Fifty years after his retirement, the relationship between First Nations and the federal government remains contentious. A bronze portrait maintains his presence in the Senate and serves to remind those of great influence not to forget their duty to consider the Indigenous perspective.

Sophie Lavoie is the curator of The Muse: Douglas Family Art Centre in Kenora, Ontario.