Robert Cree and Therese Greenwood's book, The Many Names of Robert Cree: How a First Nations Chief, Brought Ancient Wisdom to Big Business and Prosperity to His People (Published by ECW Press), is nominated for The Brass Knuckles Award for Best Nonfiction Crime Book, sponsored by David Reid Simpson Law Firm in Hamilton.

Elder Robert Cree’s memoir, The Many Names of Robert Cree, is a first-person account of surviving the residential school system designed to erase Indigenous culture, language, and knowledge.

It is also the story of an epic life of struggle and healing, as Elder Robert takes the wisdom of the ancestors and a message of reconciliation to government and industry.

In his book, Elder Robert recounts his early years in the bush, his captivity at residential school, his struggles with addiction, his political awakening as one of Canada’s youngest First Nation Chiefs, and the rising Indigenous activism of the late 20th century.

He also describes the oil industry’s arrival on his then-poverty-stricken reserve and the struggle to balance economic opportunity with environmental challenges.

Throughout, Robert’s leadership has been rooted in his unshakable commitment to the sacred traditional teachings of his people. His beliefs give him the strength to focus on hope, dignity, and building a better future for his community.

Now a respected Elder and spiritual leader, Robert is well-known as a champion of reconciliation.

Author Therese Greenwood received the Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence and Western Writers of America Spur Award for her fiction, which has appeared across Canada and the U.S. Her memoir of the Fort McMurray wildfire, What You Take With You: Wildfire, Family and the Road Home, was a Finalist for an Alberta Book Publishing Award.

Therese has worked as a reporter and editor and spent a decade as a CBC Radio correspondent. Her feature stories and columns appear regularly in national news publications, and she is a frequent commentator on issues related to both wildfires and crime fiction. She has a Master’s degree in journalism.

Their book, The Many Names of Robert Cree: How a First Nations Chief Brought Ancient Wisdom to Big Business and Prosperity to His People, has not only been nominated for a CWC award but has also received the 2026 Axiom Book Award Bronze Medal and is a finalist for the 2026 Alberta Literary Award.

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