Reggie Mark
1949-2021
In Wemindji, on April 29, 2021, Mr. Reggie Mark, President of the Cree Mineral Exploration Board (CMEB) peacefully left this world surrounded by his loved ones.
Reggie was among the CMEB’s founders, appointed to its board of directors back in 2002 and was its president in office since 2016. Reggie will have served the CMEB for close to 20 years among which 5 years as its president.
Reggie Mark was an active community member of Wemindji, he was its Chief for two terms from 1999 -2005, then he served as Deputy Chief and Councillor. He was also President of Vieux Comptoir Construction and director of numerous entities such as Beesum, Air Wemindji and most recently Tawich Development Corporation.
Reggie Mark played a key role in negotiation and construction of the Opinaca Gold Mine. André Gaumond, former president of Virginia Exploration, which discovered the Opinaca’s gold deposit mentioned: «Without Reggie’s help, Virginia would not have succeeded as it did.» The former Grand Chief, Dr. Matthew Coon Come mentioned: «Reggie was a solid man and you could count on him.» Dr. Michel Bouchard, Professor at McGill University mentioned: « Reggie handled modernism and tradition with class.»
At a conference held in Val d’Or in 2018, Reggie mentioned:
As a Cree, I personally believe that a social licence to operate in Eeyou Istchee will be obtained only for those projects that will put in place the highest environmental practices and that will have involved our communities in early development stages.
Reggie was a great humble man with deep human values. The CMEB wish to acknowledge and salute his exceptional contribution to the mineral industry. He will be missed by many friends throughout Eeyou Istchee, Quebec and Canada.
We offer our deepest condolences his wife Minnie, his seven children, Rodney, Heather, Kelly, Thomas, Ann Marie, Melissa and Betsy, as well as to his 30 grand children and grand-grandchild.
So long my friend
Youcef Larbi
Chief Geologist/Director General
Cree Mineral Exploration Board