Senator Roland Crowe is being remembered as a respected Cree leader whose decades of service helped shape First Nations governance in Saskatchewan.
Crowe, a member of Piapot First Nation, passed away on April 28, 2026.
He served as Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, now the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, where he played a key role in advancing treaty rights.
One of his most significant achievements was helping negotiate the 1992 Treaty Land Entitlement Framework Agreement, which returned more than 1.6 million acres of land to First Nations.
Crowe also supported economic development, including early First Nations gaming agreements, and helped expand housing in urban centres.
Following his time as Chief, he continued to serve as a member of the FSIN Senate.
In 2017, he was awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in recognition of his leadership.
Leaders say his legacy will live on through the lands restored and the institutions he helped build.
Roland Crowe was 82 years old.
Services are being held at Piapot First Nation and in Regina over the coming days.
(TOP PHOTO – Roland Crowe. File Photo)