# Delbert Riley

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Canadian First Nations leader

Delbert Riley Chief of the National Indian Brotherhood In office 1980–1982 Preceded by Noel Starblanket Succeeded by David Ahenakew Personal details Born 1941 (age 84–85) Chippewas of the Thames First Nation 42, Ontario, Ontario

**Delbert Riley** is a [Canadian](/source/Canadians) [First Nations](/source/First_Nations_in_Canada) leader of [Chippewa](/source/Chippewa) background. He was chief of the National Indian Brotherhood (known today as the [Assembly of First Nations](/source/Assembly_of_First_Nations)) from 1980 to 1982. Riley also presided over the Union of Ontario Indians.[1]

## Biography

Riley was born in the Chippewas of the Thames First Nations community near St. Thomas, Ontario. As a child he had spent time in a [tuberculosis sanatorium](/source/Tuberculosis_sanatorium) before being sent to [Mohawk Institute Residential School](/source/Mohawk_Institute_Residential_School) near [Brantford](/source/Brantford), Ontario.[2] He graduated from the [University of Western Ontario](/source/University_of_Western_Ontario).

Riley was elected as chief of the National Indian Brotherhood in 1980, succeeding [Noel Starblanket](/source/Noel_Starblanket).[2]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Schmalz1990_1-0)** Schmalz, Peter S. (1991). [*The Ojibwa of Southern Ontario*](https://archive.org/details/ojibwaofsouthern0000schm/page/253). University of Toronto Press. p. [253](https://archive.org/details/ojibwaofsouthern0000schm/page/253). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0802067786](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0802067786). Retrieved 5 November 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_2-1) Forester, Brett (Feb 17, 2023). ["Ex-national chief who helped create Assembly of First Nations says organization now 'in limbo'"](https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/del-riley-afn-national-indian-brotherhood-1.6748371). *[CBC News](/source/CBC_News)*. Retrieved December 30, 2025.

## External links

- [AFN: Chief profiles](https://web.archive.org/web/20060523225110/http://www.afn.ca/article.asp?id=51)

- [AFN Youth Digitization Website Project: Delbert Riley](https://web.archive.org/web/20041225014416/http://collections.ic.gc.ca/afn/Gal5/Body.htm)

v t e National Chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations Deiter Manuel Starblanket Riley Ahenakew Erasmus Mercredi Coon Come Fontaine Atleo Picard † Bellegarde Archibald Bernard † Woodhouse † Interim

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