Biography
Chris Montague is proud to be the son of a Labrador trapper. He was born in the tiny community of North West River on December 24, 1948 -- three months before Newfoundland and Labrador joined Canada.
The Montague family lived by local custom within their Inuit community. When Chris was a young boy, his family still lived off the land, and traded fur with the Hudson's Bay Company. Dog teams, canoes and snowshoes were the main modes of transportation.
Chris graduated from high school in 1966 and went to work at various jobs at the Churchill Falls hydro project - from a janitor, laborer and cook to a surveyor, soils inspector and concrete laboratory technician. He would eventually decide to go to university, graduating in 1976 with a degree in Religious Studies and Education. From that time, until his retirement in June 2004, Chris worked as a classroom teacher in Labrador.
From 1981 to 1987, Chris was also a founding member, vice-president and president of the Labrador Metis Association - now the NunatuKavut Community Council.
He also served as interim pastor for the Church of the Nazarene.
Chris is married to Sheila Goudie, also from a local trapper's family. The couple has three children – Christopher, Laura and Lisa. Chris also served on the executive of the Labrador Autism Society, as his son, Christopher, is autistic.
On July 4, 2005, the NunatuKavut membership once again elected Chris to serve as their president. Since then he has continued to strive to bring prosperity and recognition to his people.
The Montague family lived by local custom within their Inuit community. When Chris was a young boy, his family still lived off the land, and traded fur with the Hudson's Bay Company. Dog teams, canoes and snowshoes were the main modes of transportation.
Chris graduated from high school in 1966 and went to work at various jobs at the Churchill Falls hydro project - from a janitor, laborer and cook to a surveyor, soils inspector and concrete laboratory technician. He would eventually decide to go to university, graduating in 1976 with a degree in Religious Studies and Education. From that time, until his retirement in June 2004, Chris worked as a classroom teacher in Labrador.
From 1981 to 1987, Chris was also a founding member, vice-president and president of the Labrador Metis Association - now the NunatuKavut Community Council.
He also served as interim pastor for the Church of the Nazarene.
Chris is married to Sheila Goudie, also from a local trapper's family. The couple has three children – Christopher, Laura and Lisa. Chris also served on the executive of the Labrador Autism Society, as his son, Christopher, is autistic.
On July 4, 2005, the NunatuKavut membership once again elected Chris to serve as their president. Since then he has continued to strive to bring prosperity and recognition to his people.