Leroy Fontaine

Motivational mentor recognized for advocacy of Indigenous culture and community

A member of Chipewyan Prairie First Nation in northern Alberta, Leroy Fontaine (Personal Fitness Trainer ’05) has made it his mission to share his story of resilience, particularly with school kids, and emphasize the importance of having a dream.      

Mentorship has been a catalyst for Fontaine throughout his career journey. Looking back, he’s seen how strong role models inspired him to persevere and succeed, and that’s why he’s paying it forward.    

“My ongoing work is to try and inspire people who may have never found that piece of inspiration that makes them go follow that dream or passion,” says the motivational speaker, workshop facilitator and children’s book author.    

Fontaine, who has been a firefighter over the past decade, also participates on committees at Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency to help colleagues learn about Indigenous culture and take part in National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and the Moose Hide Campaign.   

And, Fontaine says, his appearances on reality television shows, such as The Brigade: Race to the Hudson and The Traitors Canada, are opportunities to showcase his strength and determination as an Indigenous person.  

That determination, along with a network of mentors, motivated him to pursue his dreams.   

Finding opportunities and mentorship   

As one of five brothers, Fontaine spent his early childhood in the Denesuliné community. He lived with his mother and stepfather – both survivors of residential schools – until the age of seven, when he moved into his grandparents’ home.    

It was under their guidance that Fontaine became more connected to his Indigenous culture and gained the confidence to pursue competitive football. When he was 12, he moved to his uncle’s home in Fort McMurray, about an hour north of the reserve, to take advantage of opportunities for athletics and education.    

“Doors opened up for me,” Fontaine says. “I ended up having a lot of good mentors – coaches, teachers – who stepped up. They saw somebody who was struggling, but somebody who also wanted to achieve.”   

Those achievements later included becoming a top linebacker and winning two championships with the Canadian Junior Football league’s Edmonton Huskies, followed by a stint competing for St. Mary’s University in Halifax, where he earned a degree in criminology. Along the way, he also completed two NAIT programs: Personal Fitness Training and Emergency Medical Technician. 

“NAIT’s programs have and will continue to open doors for me to contribute to my profession and my passions,” Fontaine says adding it allowed him to lead, train, and compete with Shell Canada’s Firefit team in what they call “The Toughest Two Minutes in Sports.”  

Reconnecting with Indigenous culture  

Over the years, Fontaine has worked to pay forward the benefits he received from being mentored as a youth. He’s served as a keynote speaker, an organizer of philanthropic events, and even co-founded a non-profit group dedicated to using athletics to inspire and motivate Indigenous youth. In late 2024, Fontaine published Sekweha The Superkid: And his cultural cape, an illustrated children’s book that explores themes of cultural disconnection and reclamation.    

Although he achieved his goal of playing football, Fontaine says he found himself disconnected, albeit unintentionally, from his Indigenous culture. But, like his title character, Sekweha – which means “for the youth” in Dene – Fontaine was able to regain and strengthen his cultural connection.    

Fontaine, now a father of three young children, says the life he’s built allows him to share his story and promote Indigenous culture. He also hopes to produce another book, and perhaps even a cartoon, based on Sekweha.     

“When I was a kid, there just wasn’t a lot of representation of Indigenous people in the media,” he says. “There aren’t enough Indigenous superheroes” – something Fontaine is hoping to change, one dream at a time.  

Story photos supplied by Leroy Fontaine.

Alumni Award of Excellence

The Alumni Award of Excellence recognizes the significant contributions made in recent years by NAIT alumni to their profession or community.  

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