A movement for Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to name well-known Cree Nation leader Elijah Harper to the Canadian Senate is gathering momentum.

Mr. Harper is perhaps Canada's best-known First Nations politician. The then backbench Manitoba MLA became famous in 1990 by withholding his consent for Manitoba's Legislature to vote on ratification of the Meech Lake Accord. The Meech Lake Accord would have amended the Canadian Constitution to address the concerns of the Province of Quebec.

Mr. Harper and many of Canada's First Nations felt the Meech Lake Accord would perpetuate the notion that Canada had only two founding races, the English and the French. They felt the accord completely ignored First Nations' concerns.

By refusing to allow the Manitoba Legislature to vote on it, Elijah Harper effectively defeated the Meech Lake Accord.

In 1993, Mr. Harper was elected as a Liberal Party Member of the Canadian Parliament for the Manitoba riding of Churchill. He lost a bid for reelection in 1997.

In 1998, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien appointed Mr. Harper as Commissioner for the Indian Claims Commission. The Cree leader resigned in October 2000.

Mr. Chrétien is expected to name several new Senators some time before the end of 2002.

The movement to have Elijah Harper appointed to the Senate receives wide support from First Nations all across Canada. Many non-natives support the Cree leader's candidacy as well.