Marco Bacon, a member of the Pekuakamiulniuatsh Nation, holds a bachelor’s degree in arts education and a master’s degree in arts (transmission component) from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. He worked for several years in the field of education for the Conseil des Montagnais du Lac-Saint-Jean. 

From September 2009 to June 2019, he held the position of Director of the Centre des Premières Nations Nikanite (CPNN) at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC), where his main responsibility was to ensure the link between First Nations communities and the university in areas related to teaching and research. 

He is now Director of Bureau de l’inclusion et de la réussite étudiante, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). Mr. Bacon is actively involved in several initiatives aimed at ensuring quality education for First Nations people, as well as their overall health and well-being, with a view to self-determination. 

The Convention on Perseverance and Academic Achievement for First Peoples is the result of the vision and commitment of Marco Bacon, Director of the Office of Inclusion and Student Success (Biré) at UQAM and member of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh Nation.

It all began in March 2014 at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) when Mr. Bacon held the position of Director of the Centre des Premières Nations Nikanite (CPNN). From the beginning, the goal was clear: to bring together First Nations education actors to share practices and discuss challenges encountered in the Indigenous school environment in Quebec.