FORT MCMURRAY — A new book by Elder and former Fort McMurray First Nation chief Robert Cree, written with Fort McMurray author and journalist Therese Greenwood, shares a personal story of survival, leadership and reconciliation in a changing Canada.
The Many Names of Robert Cree: How a First Nations Chief Brought Ancient Wisdom to Big Business and Prosperity to His People will be released on Oct. 28, 2025, by ECW Press. The book is a first-person account of Cree’s childhood in the bush, his years in a violently racist residential school system and his rise as one of the country’s youngest First Nation chiefs. It is priced at $26.95.
Cree writes that he has been known by many names. His mother called him Bobby Mountain, Elders called him Great Man, industry executives called him Mr. Cree and his people called him Chief. The government, he says, called him Number 53.
The book follows his leadership of Fort McMurray First Nation 468 as oil development arrived on the reserve. It describes efforts to secure economic opportunity for his people while protecting the land and honouring traditional teachings. Cree says his leadership has always been grounded in sacred knowledge passed down by his ancestors.
Now a respected Elder and spiritual leader, Cree uses the book to call for a peaceful, sincere path to reconciliation built on truth, dignity, forgiveness and hope. He argues that forgiveness is a powerful tool for healing both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
Greenwood, who lives in Fort McMurray, is an award-winning journalist and author. Her previous memoir, What You Take with You: Wildfire, Family and the Road Home, was a finalist for an Alberta Book Publishing Award.
ECW Press says media materials and excerpts are available. Cree and Greenwood are also available for interviews.
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