Michael Hutchinson is a member of the Misipawistik Cree Nation. As a teen, he pulled nets on Lake Winnipeg, fought forest fires in the Canadian Shield, and worked at the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Station’s Underground Research Lab. As a young adult, he worked as a bartender, a caterer for rock concerts and movie shoots, and, eventually, as a print reporter for publications such as the Calgary Straight and Aboriginal Times. After being recruited by the Indian Claims Commission (ICC), Michael moved from journalism to the communications side of the desk and worked for the ICC in Ottawa as a writer.
He returned to his home province to start a family and worked as the director of communications for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. As a project manager for the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, he helped create the “We Are All Treaty People” campaign. With the start of the Aboriginal People’s Television Network’s (APTN) investigative show, Michael jumped at the chance to make mini-documentaries for the first season of APTN Investigates, then went on to become a host of APTN National News as well as producing APTN’s sit-down interview show Face to Face and The Laughing Drum. After leaving APTN to return to the communications side of the desk, Michael worked for advocacy organizations like the Assembly of First Nations and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak. Recently, he served as a co-host for CTV Morning Live Winnipeg. He is now pleased to be working at the Resource Centre as the communications manager. He hopes to help the Resource Centre reinvigorate First Nations languages and cultures. Michael’s greatest accomplishments are his two lovely daughters.