Malcolm Norris was born at Edmonton in 1900. His father, John Norris, was a wealthy Scottish settler. His mother was Euphrosine Plante, a Metis of St. Albert. Children from his father's previous marriage were antagonistic to their Metis step-mother and her children. As a result, the family live in two separate homes. Malcolm grew up and received his education in St. Albert. Metis heritage and the Resistance of 1885 were familiar topics of discussion in the Norris home.

In his twenties, Norris married, became an avid socialist and began the fight against bigotry and racism. He often introduced himself as "Redskin Norris". He spent five years working for the Hudson's Bay Company until he grew disenchanted with the trading methods of the company and spent his next five years trapping and trading.

Political turmoil in the 1930s caused Malcolm to become a strong activist, lobbying for Metis rights and social equality. He joined Jim Brady, Pete Tomkins and Joseph Dion. Together they organized the Alberta Metis Association. When World War II broke out, the organization disbanded and Norris joined the RCAF.

After the war, he went to work for the CCF party in Saskatchewan. He became a strong defender of Metis rights and began to organize another Metis Association, this time in Saskatchewan. With the ousting of the CCF party in 1964, Norris was dismissed from his job. He worked in Prince Albert as the director of the Indian-Metis Friendship Center. He continued to fight for Metis rights and, in 1964, started the Metis Association of Northern Saskatchewan.

In 1966, Norris suffered a stroke, but he continued his political career from a wheelchair. Later a political controversy caused him to withdraw from politics. He moved back to Alberta where, in 1967, he suffered another stroke and died.

Norris is remembered as a brilliant orator and political organizer.