Biography: Chief Robert Joseph was born in Alert Bay, a tiny little island off the northern tip of Vancouver Island. At that time, Indigenous People lived in their communities, their first language was Kwakwala and they lived off the land. He entered Indian residential school and things took a turn for the worse and he started drinking very early in his life. Eventually because of drinking, he lost his family. After he stopped drinking he did lots of volunteer work. In the past 10 years of his life, he devoted his time to the residential school issue. He thinks that tremendous strides have been made since Canada established the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission.