From Where I Stand

The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, PC, QC, MP, also known by her initials JWR and by her ancestral name Puglaas, is a lawyer, advocate, and a proud Indigenous Canadian. She is a descendant of the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk and Laich-Kwil-Tach peoples, which are part of the Kwakwa̱ka̱’wakw or Kwak’wala-speaking peoples, and she is a member of the We Wai Kai Nation. Throughout her career, Ms. Wilson-Raybould has built a strong reputation as a bridge builder between communities and a champion of good governance, justice, and accountability. She was elected as the Member of Parliament for the new constituency of Vancouver Granville in October 2015. On November 4, 2015, she was appointed the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, making her the first Indigenous person to serve in this portfolio. She then served as Minister of Veterans Affairs from January 14, 2019, to February 12, 2019. Prior to entering politics, she was a provincial Crown prosecutor in Vancouver and later served as an adviser at the BC Treaty Commission, a body established to oversee complex treaty negotiations between First Nations and the Crown. In 2004, she was elected as Commissioner by the Chiefs of the First Nations Summit. In 2009, Ms. Wilson-Raybould was elected BC Regional Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, where she devoted herself to the advancement of First Nations governance, fair access to lands and resources, as well as improved education and health care services. She was re-elected as Regional Chief in 2012 and served until 2015, holding responsibilities for governance and nation building on the Assembly of First Nations National Executive. Ms. Wilson-Raybould also served two terms as an elected Councillor for the We Wai Kai Nation between 2009 and 2015. An active volunteer in the community, Ms. Wilson-Raybould has been a director for Capilano College, the Minerva Foundation for BC Women, the Nuyumbalees Cultural Centre, and the National Centre for First Nations Governance. She was also a director on the First Nations Lands Advisory Board and Chair of the First Nations Finance Authority. Ms. Wilson-Raybould lives in Vancouver and is married to Dr. Tim Raybould.

Foreword | Senator Murray Sinclair

Introduction

Moving through the Postcolonial Door

We Truly Have Come a Long Way ...

Idle No More and Recapturing the Spirit and Intent of the Two Row Wampum

On the Parallels, and Differences, between Canada and South Africa

Our Shared Histories and the Path of Reconciliation

Rights and Recognition

Friduciary Gridlock and the Inherent Right of Self-Government

Translating Hard-Fought-For Rights into Practical and Meaningful Benefits

UNDRIP Is the Start, Not the Finishing Line

Defining the Path of Reconciliation through Section 35

Indigenous Rights Are Human Rights

Implementing UNDRIP

Governance in the Post-Indian Act World

Toppling the Indian Act Tree

First Nations Jurisdiction over Citizenship

Holding and Managing Our Lands

On Accountability and Transparency

Developing a New Fiscal Relationship

The Governance Toolkit and Building on OUR Success

Building Business Relationships and the Duty to Consult

Economic Development Depends on Self-Government

First Nations Are Not a Box to Tick Off

Who Owns and Is Responsible for the Water?

On Certainty and Why It’s Elusive

Restoring Balance, Correcting Injustices, and Remaining Vigilant

A Litmus Test for Reconciliation Is the Status of Women

Preventing First Contacts with the Criminal Justice System

On Sticking Our Necks Out

On Obstruction, Denial, and Canada’s Failure to Uphold the Rule of Law

Each of Us, In Our Own Way, Is a Hiligax̱ste’

Acknowledgments

A Note on Terminology and the Speeches

Case Law and Legislation Cited

Index