Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict

Abram Benedict is currently the Ontario Regional Chief (ORC) for the Chiefs of Ontario. Regional Chief Benedict was elected to a three-year term in June 2024 and advocates, supports, and lobbies for all 133 First Nations in Ontario. Regional Chief Benedict is the first Haudenosaunee person to hold the position of Ontario Regional Chief. Prior to his election, only Haudenosaunee to have held the position for the last 50 years since the inception of the Chiefs of Ontario.

Regional Chief Benedict prioritizes mining, additions-to-reserve (ATR), asserting First Nation Rights, and relationship building. In addition to his regional priorities, the Chiefs-in-Assembly provide the ORC and the Chiefs of Ontario with mandates and directives that form part of the many of his responsibilities.

Abram has spent the last 19 years in community leadership, first elected a District Chief for the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne in 2006 and later elected the Grand Chief in 2015. As the Grand Chief for Akwesasne, Abram has successfully led several successful negotiations, including two significant land claims that will help advance Akwesasne’s priorities with proceeds of over $280 million. Other negotiations include cooperative land use agreements, union negotiations, government contribution agreements, and civil disputes.

Abram Benedict also served as a volunteer board member as the Aboriginal Representative to the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) board, a member-based agency representing the 47 children’s aid societies in Ontario, including the nine Aboriginal Agencies. Abram has also served in multiple board positions, including as chair for St. Lawrence College’s board for six years, and as a former board member of Cornwall Community Hospital.

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