Stephen Kakfwi is a Dene Elder and the former Premier of the Northwest Territories.

Thanks to a connection with Library Board Member and Councillor Bill Roberts, he will visit the Picton Branch of the County of Prince Edward Public Library on Tuesday, May 9 at 2 p.m. to talk about his book, Stoneface.

As Roberts explains, the two worked together “after the Truth & Reconciliation Commission Report to quickly mobilize the national discussion on how best to implement its recommendations,” which involved “bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous leadership from across Canada.”

Politician and former broadcaster Wab Kinew described Stoneface as “a powerful and vivid story of a Survivor, family man and Premier. Through it all Stephen Kakfwi shows us what it truly means to be Dene.”

The book is a reflection on his life experiences and is described by the publisher as follows: “Kakfwi’s life has been a series of diverse endeavours, blending traditional Dene practices with the daily demands of political office—hunting moose one day and negotiating with European diamond merchants the next. Throughout his career, Kakfwi understood he held the power to make change—sometimes he succeeded, sometimes not. But he also embraced the power of story-telling, and has helped change the story of the North.”

“The book itself is a personal tome by an incredible activist Dene Elder, full of hard-won wisdom but not without some tough confessions – an honest and yet hopeful account, by one of Canada’s most respected Indigenous stalwarts, of the haunting demons from residential school, of spiritual awakening, of the battles & inside truth of both Canadian and Indigenous politics…It is, in my view, essential and even-handed reading that gives overdue voice to more than one generation of determined Indigenous struggle. The author is a teacher, a poet, a politician, a former Premier, and perhaps even a bit of a prophet for the compassion, understanding, and gift each one of us carries to make the world a better place,” Roberts said.

In addition to borrowing the book from the library and giving it a read, don’t miss the unique opportunity to hear Stephen Kakfwi speak, and our thanks to Councillor & Board Member Roberts for making this possible.

PICTON BRANCH EXPANSION UPDATE: We anticipate access to the elevator will be available soon. A specific timeline is not yet available. If you are waiting for the elevator to become available to use the library, call CEO Barbara Sweet at (613) 476-5962 for the latest updates and to discuss how we can provide the best possible access to library services.

-Liz Zylstra