Person

Lafond, Carol Ann

Alphonsine (nee Venne) Lafond was the daughter of Bernard and Georgina (nee Greyeyes) Venne. Alpha was the first female chief of Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, elected in 1960, and the first woman senator in the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN). Albert Lafond was a veteran of the Second World War, serving in the Italian theatre of war as well as northeastern Europe, and in Korea with the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). Albert and Alpha raised six children (Carol, Robert, Albert, George, Judith, and Dean). A daughter Carol Ann Lafond was born on July 8, 1954 at the North Battleford Indian Hospital in North Battleford, Saskatchewan to Alphonsine (nee Venne) and Albert Lafond. Carol grew up on the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation and received her elementary and high school education in the nearby town of Marcelin, Saskatchewan. Carol married in 1972 and had three children (Bonnie 1973, Beverly 1976 and William 1978). Carol also adopted three daughters (Tara 1983, Leah 1985 and Kaila 1987) and is now the proud grandmother of three (Bella 2005, Ava 2006 and Haley 2007). After her marriage, Carol resided on a farm in the Marcelin district and worked as a librarian at Marcelin School from 1975-1976 and 1979 -1983. She also drove a school bus for Marcelin School from 1974 to 1983. Carol moved to Saskatoon in 1983 to attend the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) and received her Library Technician diploma in 1984. After receiving her diploma, Carol decided to further her education. She enrolled at the University of Saskatchewan and received her Bachelor of Education Degree in 1988. Carol returned to her home community of Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in 1988. In September of 1989 Carol worked as the Post Secondary Councilor for the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, a position that she held until 2004. In 2004, Carol became the Campus director of Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology (SIIT) and left to become the Director of Higher Education at the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians where she worked from March of 2005 to October 2005. Carol is currently a Resource Developer and Policy Analyst for the Saskatoon Tribal Council Health and Family Services. Carol has also served on the Blaine Lake Board of Education 1990-1996 and well as the Saskatchewan Valley School Division 1998-2000. Carol has many interests and hobbies including scrap-booking, golfing, and curling. She also loves to travel and has visited Fiji, New Zealand, and the British Isles. Carol's passion has always been Muskeg Lake Cree Nation history and genealogy. She recognized the need to collect and preserve the histories and stories of the people of Muskeg Lake Cree Nation and began to collect photographs and artifacts and recording elders stories so that the wealth of information would be carried on.