John Ciaccia

John Ciaccia (March 4, 1933 – August 7, 2018) was an Italian-born Canadian politician who was provincial cabinet minister from Montreal, Quebec.

John Ciaccia was born Giambattista Nicola Ciaccia in the Italian town of Jelsi in the region of Molise on March 4, 1933.

He emigrated to Canada via Ellis Island in 1937 with his mother and elder sister reuniting with their father, who had already come to Montreal in 1935.

Ciaccia recalled the trials of growing up in another country, being viewed by some as an outsider.

This was compounded during the years of the Second World War, as his native Italy fought Canada and the Allies.

Ciaccia became fluent in both English and French at an early age, reading novels and encyclopedias in both languages as a child.

Ciaccia received his BA from McGill University in 1953.

He then pursued his studies at McGill's prestigious Faculty of Law, whose faculty, at the time, consisted of future Supreme Court and Superior Court justices.

As a law student, Ciaccia became managing editor of the McGill Law Journal where he published an analysis, "Perron v. School Trustees of the School Municipality of Rouyn: Case and Comment".

He received his law degree in 1956 and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1957; he began practising for the Montreal-based firm, Malouf & Shorteno.

In 1959, Ciaccia began working for the legal department of the now-defunct Steinberg's grocery chain—-at the time, one of the largest in Quebec.

Ciaccia would eventually become the chain's director of real estate.

Throughout the 1960s he continued to practice law.

While still practising law, he acted as a consultant for the Canadian department of Indian Affairs.

In 1971, he was offered a position in the federal civil service, as assistant deputy minister of Indian affairs and northern development, headed at the time by future prime minister Jean Chrétien.

Initially reluctant, Ciaccia's decision to quit practising law and accept the position was cemented by a case he had recently handled: where a "remorseless" client of his negotiating terms of a contract that would prove ruinous for the already financially strained other party.

Ciaccia was later told by a colleague the soon to be bankrupt man left his clients' office in tears.

This led Ciaccia to, "leave a thriving law practice in Montreal for a low-paying position in Ottawa to deal with the unresolved problems of mistreated peoples..."

As assistant deputy minister, Ciaccia helped negotiate development projects on native territory, addressing the sensitive issue of land rights.

This often involved face-to-face meetings across the country with members of aboriginal communities, including elders and chiefs.

Ciaccia implemented the native youth liaison program which employed natives to help coordinate native youth programs throughout Canada.

The program proved controversial.

Militant elements of the native movement interpreted it as an attempt to usurp power from the chiefs.

Bureaucrats at the Ministry viewed the new program with apprehension as well.

Ciaccia lashed out at both sides, denouncing both "power-hungry" Native politicians as well as "idiots in the Indian Affairs department who hate Indians."

His remarks caused a brief uproar, with one Conservative MP calling for his resignation.

Indian Affairs minister Jean Chrétien defended Ciaccia, noting the difficult nature of his deputy's workload.

In 1972, Ciaccia helped found the Indian Way School, in the Kahnawake Mohawk reserve south of Montreal.

The school was established in response to concerns of natives that their children's culture was being assimilated at the (mostly white) Billings School in nearby Chateauguay.

Ciaccia served as a member of the National Assembly of Quebec from 1973 to 1998, representing the Mount Royal riding for the Quebec Liberal Party.

He occupied various posts in the cabinets of Liberal premiers Robert Bourassa, and Daniel Johnson Jr.., such as minister of Energy and Natural Resources, International Affairs, Native Affairs, and Immigration and Cultural Communities.

At his resignation, Ciaccia was the longest-serving member of the Assembly.

Days before Ciaccia officially resigned from the civil service to run in the 1973 Quebec general election, The Globe and Mail lauded Ciaccia for his initiatives that helped "decentralize Indian Affairs and give more power to Indians themselves."

On September 25, 1973, Quebec Premier Robert Bourassa called a general election for October 29.

Bourassa asked Ciaccia to run in the newly formed electoral riding of Mont-Royal, a multicultural area of Montreal, regarded as a Liberal stronghold.

Ciaccia accepted the offer, resigning from his Federal post in the department of Indian Affairs.

Ciaccia gained international attention for his efforts in negotiating the end of the Oka Crisis alongside his federal counterpart, Tom Siddon, in 1990.

Former Quebec Premier Jean Charest described Ciaccia's political career as having "revolutionized relations with the native people and cultural communities of Quebec by always favouring an approach marked by respect."

Ciaccia attributes his academic success in part to the encouragement of his mother, with whom he kept a close relationship until her death in 1990.

Ciaccia attended the English-speaking, Catholic, D'Arcy McGee High School.