Course Chairs
Chief Leah Sisi-ya-ama George-Wilson — Miller Titerle + Company, Vancouver
Isabel Sa-Gyo Jackson — Department of Justice Canada, 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 Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Simon Fraser University and a Bachelor of Laws 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 Jackson Sa-Gyo 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 Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from UCFV and a Bachelor of Laws 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.
Keynote Speakers
The Honourable Steven L. Point, OBC — Abbotsford
Steven Lewis Point, OBC (Xwe li qwel tel) is a former Lieutenant Governor of BC whose term of office ended on November 1, 2012. He retired from his position as a Provincial Court judge in the Fraser Valley in 2018.
From 1975-99, Steven Point served as Chief of the Skowkale First Nation. From 1994-99, he served as Tribal Chair of the Stó:lo Nation. He was the Grand Chief of the Stó:lô Tribal Council.
Steven Point attended UBC, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in May 1985. From 1986-89, he practiced criminal law and native law as a partner in the law firm of Point and Shirley. He worked for Citizenship and Immigration Canada as an immigration adjudicator for several years, starting in about 1989, at its refugee backlog office in Vancouver. In 1999, he became a BC Provincial Court judge. On February 28, 2005, he became Chief Commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission.
His appointment as Lieutenant-Governor was announced on September 4, 2007 by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He assumed his duties in a ceremony at the Legislative Assembly of BC on October 1, 2007. As The Queen's vice-regal representative in BC, he is styled His Honour while in office and The Honourable for life.
He received Honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from the University of the Fraser Valley in 2000, the University of Victoria in 2012, and the University of Capilano in 2017. He also received an Honorary Doctorate of Sacred Letters (honoris causa) from Saint Mark's College in 2013.
He received the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 2000.
He received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee medals and the Order of BC. In 2016, he received the Order of Chilliwack.
Born in Chilliwack, the Lieutenant Governor and his wife, Her Honour, Mrs. Gwendolyn Point, have four children and 13 grandchildren.
Brenda Butterworth-Carr, Tr'injà shär njit dintlät — Assistant Deputy Minister and Director of Police Services, Policing and Security Branch, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Victoria
Brenda Butterworth-Carr, Tr'injà shär njit dintlät, is the Assistant Deputy Minister and Director of Police Services and has been leading the Policing and Security Branch in the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General since March of 2019.
In the past year as the Director of Police Services, Brenda has provided central oversight of policing, law enforcement, and the security industry in BC. Working collaboratively with branch executives, Brenda and her team develop and administer public safety initiatives dedicated to the protection of British Columbians. Recent special projects have included the Witness Security Program, anti-money laundering, countering radicalization to violence initiatives, and the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act. As well as, providing oversight for the law enforcement aspects of the opioid emergency and COVID-19 responses.
Brenda began her career with the RCMP in 1987 as a Native Special Constable and continued her 23 years of service in various roles with the RCMP in BC and Yukon Territory. Prior to joining the ministry, she was the Commanding Officer of the BC RCMP, the largest RCMP Division in Canada. She has also held key senior executive leadership positions, which included: BC RCMP's Officer in Charge of Criminal Operations and Core Policing, the Commanding Officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP, and the National Criminal Operations' Director General for Aboriginal Policing and Crime Prevention Services.
As a First Nations woman, Brenda has had many firsts and her diverse career has provided her with extensive experience and a solid understanding of policing service agreements; operations; management of critical incidents and crisis negotiation; crime prevention, community and Indigenous policing; and executive leadership. She is passionate about operations, employee safety, and ensuring that all employees have the proper resources to carry out their duties in a professional manner.
Brenda maintains many active positions on provincial, federal and international committees and associations. Her awards and honours include the Senate 150th Anniversary Medal, Queen's Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, and Officer of the Order of Merit of Police Forces. These awards recognize her exceptional service and performance of duty.
Brenda is from the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Han Nation, Yukon Territory. Her three sons and Boston Terrier x Pug, Doug, are her ultimate inspiration for dedicating and committing herself to continuously learn and grow as a leader.
Faculty
Michelle S. Ball — Senior Counsel, Public Prosecution Service of Canada, Vancouver
Andrew Beynon — Director, Land Code Governance, First Nations Land Management Resource Centre, Sutton West, Ontario
Murray W. Browne — Woodward & Co. Lawyers LLP, Victoria
John Burns — Donovan & Company, Vancouver
Grant Christoff — In-house Legal Counsel, First Nations Health Authority, West Vancouver
Ryley M. Mennie — Miller Titerle Law Corporation, Vancouver
Dr. Judith Kekinusuqs Sayers — President, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council; Adjunct Professor, School of Business and Environmental Studies, Victoria
Amy Jo Scherman — Donovan & Company, Vancouver
Gagvi Marilyn Slett — Chair of Coastal First Nations, Chief Councillor, Heiltsuk First Nation, Bella Bella
Jean Teillet — Pape Salter Teillet LLP, Vancouver
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