Obituary
A life lived in service to the Anishinabek and M’Chigeeng communiities
M’CHIGEENG—Ogimaa Joseph Frederick Hare baa began his spirit journey peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. During a lifetime spent in service to the Anishinaabe, he left behind a legacy spanning Turtle Island but nowhere more so than in his home community of M’Chigeeng First Nation.
Born in his family’s log cabin in M’Chigeeng on July 23, 1939, son of the Patrick Hare baa and Ida (Eshkabok) Hare baa, Ogimaa Hare began life instilled with the teachings of his parents, including values celebrating family, community, integrity and hard work.
Ogimaa Hare attended Spanish Indian Residential School and graduated in July 1957 before heading out to business college in Toronto. It was in Toronto, as he completed his education, the future chief became involved with the advocacy that would define the rest of his public life, advancing and advocating for Anishinaabe rights.
“He hated the way the nuns and priests would put down the parents of the children at the residential school,” recalled his wife of 48 years retired lawyer Susan Hare. “He used to say, ‘maybe it was good that I was already in high school before I went’,” she recalled. “He never bought into that, he was proud of his parents.”
While living in Toronto, Ogimaa Hare established many lifelong friendships, especially later in the Jewish community as he sourced furs and sheepskins for his business.
First elected chief of M’Chigeeng in 1979 (the community was known as West Bay then) one of his first accomplishments was to wrest control of education. M’Chigeeng was the first Indigenous community in Canada to take over their own education. Ogimaa Hare went on to serve as chief for five terms and as a band councillor, continuing to work diligently for his people right up to the very day he started his spirit journey.
“He always had the people of M’Chigeeng in his heart and was dedicated to work to ensure a better future and many opportunities were gained,” said Ms. Hare.
Ogimaa Hare went on to become Grand Council Chief of the Union of Ontario Indians (Anishinabek Nation). In his various roles, Ogimaa Hare went on to help found numerous organizations, including Waubetek Business Development Corporation in 1986, Kenjgewin Teg in 1994 and Anishinabek Nation Credit Union.
But nearest and dearest to his heart was the ‘Our Children, Our Responsibility’ movement which led to the creation of Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services in 1984.
He developed the concept of Gwekwaadziwin Miikan Treatment Facility.
“He did this as he had great compassion and saw the need to provide as much help and support to all of our people who were facing addiction,” said Ms. Hare. “He believed that all of our people could be well.”
An early advocate of a green economy, Ogimaa Hare led the Creation of Mother Earth Renewable Energy, which eventually saw the construction of the two wind turbines in M’Chigeeng. To this day the community still calls those two giant turbines Joe and Susan.
A long-standing dream (he originally had established a co-op grocery store where the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation now sits), he led the move to create the M’Chigeeng Business Development Centre and grocery store.
“Everything he did was to serve and benefit the people of our community whom he loved the most,” said Ms. Hare. “During the short moments he was away (but remained near) from his political life, he was an avid entrepreneur.” Creating Indian Line Trading Post, operating the post office for several years, as well as a homemade furniture store and coffee shop.
He established Manitoulin Indian Crafts, creating a wide range of artisanal works that included mitts and a host of familiar Indigenous craft items. So successful was that endeavour that the company was offered the opportunity to supply mitts for the dignitaries attending the Calgary Olympics which, unfortunately, he had to turn this opportunity down as there was not enough capacity to meet the deadline.
Ogimaa Hare offered his vast experience to many, acting as a mentor to many current Indigenous leaders. He was a pipe carrier, respected elder and a role model, but above all, a man of immense integrity and pride in his people.
The Anishinaabe leader was far from a man defined only by politics and business. He was an artist of some talent with sketch pad never far from his hands. He was fond of music, being a diehard Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash fan. He was an athlete in his younger years and enjoyed playing hockey and baseball.
Ogimaa Hare is survived by his loving wife Susan, children Forry, Tom, Pina, Janice and Cynthia and a proud mishoomis of Weshgad, Nyala, Sonoma, Angel and Symone. He is also survived by sisters Doris Manitowabi and Debbie Hare and predeceased by sisters Yvonne and Mary and brother Bernard.
