Course Chairs
Chief Leah Sisi-ya-ama George-Wilson — Miller Titerle Law Corporation, Vancouver
Isabel Sa-Gyo Jackson — Department of Justice, Vancouver
Melissa Kahahxstahlas Louie — In-house Legal Counsel, Musqueam Indian Band, Vancouver
About the Course Chairs
Leah George-Wilson (Sisi-ya-ama) is a member of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) in North Vancouver. She was the first woman to hold the office of Elected Chief for the TWN, for three terms. Leah worked for the TWN for 18 years and held various positions for the Nation, the last one being Director of the Treaty, Land and Resources Department.
Leah holds a BA in Anthropology from Simon Fraser University and an LLB from UBC Faculty of Law. She was called to the BC bar on January 31, 2015 and is currently an associate at Miller Titerle.
Since 2004, Leah has been elected as co-chair of the First Nations Summit. She also sits on the First Nations Lands Advisory Board. Currently, Leah is once again serving as Chief of the TWN.
Isabel is a member of the Gitxsan First Nation from Gitanmaax (Hazelton) BC. Isabel graduated from UBC Law School in 1998 and was called to the BC bar in 1999. She is counsel with the federal Department of Justice where she has worked in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Section since 2001. Working in the federal public service was commended to her by her father, Captain Fred Jackson, who was a retired vessel master with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. As part of her practice she is most grateful for her work toward resolving the claims of Indian Residential School survivors and for the freedom she has within the Department to raise the profile of Aboriginal people and issues.
But the role she takes the most pride and satisfaction from is being the grandmother of Joel and Little Izzy.
Melissa Louie, Kahahxstahlas, is a Coast Salish and Syilx lawyer. She is a Citizen of the Tla’amin Nation, located north of Powell River, BC and also has family ties to the Penticton Indian Band. Melissa holds a BA in Criminal Justice from UCFV and a LLB from UBC, Faculty of Law. Prior to pursuing a legal career, Melissa worked with a number of First Nations participating in treaty negotiations, including with her own Nation as a member of Tla’amin Nation’s treaty negotiation team.
Since becoming a lawyer in 2008, Melissa worked with her Nation through-out the treaty implementation process (including drafting of the Tla’amin Constitution, setting up the Government structure, and drafting a number of key laws and regulations) and has developed broad and practical experience in providing legal and strategic policy advice on a wide range of treaty-related and Aboriginal title and rights issues. In addition, Melissa has relevant experience working at the international-level to advance Indigenous rights through United Nations mechanisms by supporting the former North American representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Opening Prayer
Elder Shane Pointe — Musqueam Indian Band
Faculty
Merle Lagax'niitsk Alexander — Miller Titerle Law Corporation, Vancouver
Aaron Kelts’-tkinem Bruce — Ratcliff & Company, North Vancouver
Ernie Chetwhilem George — Director, Treaty, Lands and Resources, Tsleil-Waututh Nation, North Vancouver
Chief Leah Sisi-ya-ama George-Wilson — Miller Titerle Law Corporation, Vancouver
Wade caleχwelenexw Grant — Chief of Staff, Musqueam Indian Band, Vancouver
Debra Maxmawidzamga Hanuse — Senior Policy Analyst, First Nations Summit, West Vancouver
Isabel Sa-Gyo Jackson — Department of Justice, Vancouver
Grand Chief Edward Akile Ch'oh John — Tl'azt'en Nation, West Vancouver
Saul Joseph — Clark Wilson LLP, Vancouver
Melissa Kahahxstahlas Louie — In-house Legal Counsel, Musqueam Indian Band, Vancouver
Dr. Judith Kekinusuqs Sayers — President, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council; Adjunct Professor, School of Business and Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria
Gib van Ert — Gib van Ert Law, Ottawa and Vancouver
Aaron Wilson — Mandell Pinder LLP, Vancouver
Naomi Wright — Department of Justice, Vancouver
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