Edward John
Encyclopedia
Edward John is a prominent First Nations
political leader in Canada
. The son of Louis and Amelia John, he was born on July 8, 1949 in the Carrier
village of Tache, along the north shore of Stuart Lake
, about 60 km from Fort St. James, British Columbia
. He holds the name 'Ukailch'oh (Carrier Linguistic Committee spelling, often spelled Akile Ch'oh) in the Lusilyoo clan. He has three grown children from his first marriage to Susan John: Martin, Damian, and Shendah. He is currently married to former Musqueam chief Wendy Grant-John
.
He attended Lejac Residential School
, Prince George College, and Notre Dame University College
in Nelson, B.C. before receiving a B.A. from the University of Victoria
in 1974 and an LL.B. from the University of British Columbia
in 1979. He practiced law as a solo practitioner in Prince George, British Columbia from 1981 to 1993. In 2004 he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Northern British Columbia
.
John served as an elected Councillor of Tl'azt'en Nation
from 1974 to 1990 and as elected Chief from 1990 to 1992. From 1984 to 1988 he was Chief of the Carrier-Sekani Tribal Council. From 1992 until 1999 he was Chief Treaty Negotiator for the Carrier-Sekani Tribal Council. He is also Chairman of the Board of Tanizul Timber and Teeslee Forest Products, companies owned by Tl'azt'en Nation. For his service to Tl'azt'en Nation he was awarded the title of Grand Chief of Tl'azt'en Nation.
A fluent speaker of Carrier
and one of the few people considered eloquent public speakers in Carrier, John was the founding President of the Yinka Dene Language Institute
. He was also involved in establishing the University of Northern British Columbia
. He played a prominent role in the Interior University Society, the regional organization whose pressure led to the creation of UNBC, and subsequently served on the Implementation Council and the Interim Governing Council, the predecessor to the Board of Governors.
John was the First Nations representative to the First Ministers Conference
on aboriginal constitutional rights from 1983 to 1987. In 1991, along with the late Squamish Chief Joe Matthias, he helped to create the First Nations Summit
, the organization representing the British Columbia First Nations involved in treaty negotiations with Canada and British Columbia. This group produced the tripartite Task Force Report that led to the current British Columbia Treaty Process
. From 1993 to 2000 he was a member of the Task Group of the First Nations Summit. Although John has been most active at the provincial level, he has also been a prominent figure at the national level in the Assembly of First Nations
.
On November 1, 2000 he was appointed to the provincial cabinet as Minister for Children and Families, serving until the change of government in June, 2001. In the election of May 16, 2001 he ran unsuccessfully as the New Democratic Party
candidate for Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Prince George-Omineca
riding. He also plays a prominent role at the national level in the Assembly of First Nations
. In October 2005 he represented the AFN at the Second Indigenous Peoples' Summit of the Americas in Buenos Aires
.
In June, 2010 John was elected to his ninth term on the Task Group (political executive) of the First Nations Summit
. He is also Chief Treaty Negotiator for the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council.In January 2011 he began a three year term as the North American Representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
political leader in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The son of Louis and Amelia John, he was born on July 8, 1949 in the Carrier
Dakelh
The Dakelh or Carrier are the indigenous people of a large portion of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada.Most Carrier call themselves Dakelh, meaning "people who go around by boat"...
village of Tache, along the north shore of Stuart Lake
Stuart Lake
Stuart Lake, or Nak'albun in the Carrier language is a lake situated in the Northern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. The town of Fort St. James is situated by the lake near the outlet...
, about 60 km from Fort St. James, British Columbia
Fort St. James, British Columbia
Fort St. James is a district municipality and former fur trading post in north-central British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the south-eastern shore of Stuart Lake in the Omineca Country, at the northern terminus of Highway 27, which connects to Highway 16 at Vanderhoof...
. He holds the name 'Ukailch'oh (Carrier Linguistic Committee spelling, often spelled Akile Ch'oh) in the Lusilyoo clan. He has three grown children from his first marriage to Susan John: Martin, Damian, and Shendah. He is currently married to former Musqueam chief Wendy Grant-John
Wendy Grant-John
Wendy Grant-John, née Wendy Sparrow, is a prominent First Nations leader in British Columbia. She served three terms as chief of the Musqueam First Nation and was the first woman elected regional vice-chief of the Assembly of First Nations. In 1997 Grant-John came in second to Phil Fontaine in the...
.
He attended Lejac Residential School
Lejac Residential School
Lejac Residential School was part of the Canadian residential school system and one of the 130 boarding schools for First Nations children that operated in Canada between 1874 and 1996. Operated by the Roman Catholic Church under contract with the government of Canada, construction was completed on...
, Prince George College, and Notre Dame University College
Notre Dame University College
Notre Dame University College was a private university in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada.It was established in 1950 by the Roman Catholic diocese of Nelson and opened with...
in Nelson, B.C. before receiving a B.A. from the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
in 1974 and an LL.B. from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
in 1979. He practiced law as a solo practitioner in Prince George, British Columbia from 1981 to 1993. In 2004 he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Northern British Columbia
University of Northern British Columbia
The University of Northern British Columbia is a small, primarily undergraduate university whose main campus is in Prince George, British Columbia. UNBC also has regional campuses in the northern British Columbia cities of Prince Rupert, Terrace, Quesnel, and Fort St. John...
.
John served as an elected Councillor of Tl'azt'en Nation
Tl'azt'en Nation
Tl'azt'en Nation is an Indian band located along the north shore of Stuart Lake in the northern interior of British Columbia. The two main villages belonging to Tl'azt'en Nation are Tache , 60 km northwest of Fort St. James and Binche , 40 km northwest of Fort St. James...
from 1974 to 1990 and as elected Chief from 1990 to 1992. From 1984 to 1988 he was Chief of the Carrier-Sekani Tribal Council. From 1992 until 1999 he was Chief Treaty Negotiator for the Carrier-Sekani Tribal Council. He is also Chairman of the Board of Tanizul Timber and Teeslee Forest Products, companies owned by Tl'azt'en Nation. For his service to Tl'azt'en Nation he was awarded the title of Grand Chief of Tl'azt'en Nation.
A fluent speaker of Carrier
Carrier language
The Carrier language is a Northern Athabaskan language. It is named after the Dakelh people, a First Nations people of the Central Interior of British Columbia, Canada, for whom Carrier is the usual English name. People who are referred to as Carrier speak two related languages. One,...
and one of the few people considered eloquent public speakers in Carrier, John was the founding President of the Yinka Dene Language Institute
Yinka Dene Language Institute
The Yinka Dene Language Institute is an organization based in Stoney Creek, British Columbia, whose purpose is the study and maintenance of the language and culture of Dakelh and other First Nations people in northern British Columbia.-History:...
. He was also involved in establishing the University of Northern British Columbia
University of Northern British Columbia
The University of Northern British Columbia is a small, primarily undergraduate university whose main campus is in Prince George, British Columbia. UNBC also has regional campuses in the northern British Columbia cities of Prince Rupert, Terrace, Quesnel, and Fort St. John...
. He played a prominent role in the Interior University Society, the regional organization whose pressure led to the creation of UNBC, and subsequently served on the Implementation Council and the Interim Governing Council, the predecessor to the Board of Governors.
John was the First Nations representative to the First Ministers Conference
First Ministers conference
In Canada, a First Ministers' conference is a meeting of the provincial and territorial premiers and the Prime Minister. These events are held at the call of the prime minister and, since 1950, have typically been held annually...
on aboriginal constitutional rights from 1983 to 1987. In 1991, along with the late Squamish Chief Joe Matthias, he helped to create the First Nations Summit
First Nations Summit
The First Nations Summit is a First Nations political organization in British Columbia founded in 1992 after the formation of the British Columbia Treaty Commission and the British Columbia Treaty Process. It represents the interests of First Nation band governments involved in the treaty process...
, the organization representing the British Columbia First Nations involved in treaty negotiations with Canada and British Columbia. This group produced the tripartite Task Force Report that led to the current British Columbia Treaty Process
British Columbia Treaty Process
The British Columbia Treaty Process is a land claims negotiation process started in 1993 to resolve outstanding issues - including claims to un-extinguished aboriginal rights - with British Columbia's First Nations....
. From 1993 to 2000 he was a member of the Task Group of the First Nations Summit. Although John has been most active at the provincial level, he has also been a prominent figure at the national level in the Assembly of First Nations
Assembly of First Nations
The Assembly of First Nations , formerly known as the National Indian Brotherhood, is a body of First Nations leaders in Canada...
.
On November 1, 2000 he was appointed to the provincial cabinet as Minister for Children and Families, serving until the change of government in June, 2001. In the election of May 16, 2001 he ran unsuccessfully as the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
candidate for Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Prince George-Omineca
Prince George-Omineca
Prince George-Omineca was a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada from 1991 to 2009.- Demographics :- Member of Legislative Assembly :Its MLA is John Rustad, whose experience is in the forest industry...
riding. He also plays a prominent role at the national level in the Assembly of First Nations
Assembly of First Nations
The Assembly of First Nations , formerly known as the National Indian Brotherhood, is a body of First Nations leaders in Canada...
. In October 2005 he represented the AFN at the Second Indigenous Peoples' Summit of the Americas in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
.
In June, 2010 John was elected to his ninth term on the Task Group (political executive) of the First Nations Summit
First Nations Summit
The First Nations Summit is a First Nations political organization in British Columbia founded in 1992 after the formation of the British Columbia Treaty Commission and the British Columbia Treaty Process. It represents the interests of First Nation band governments involved in the treaty process...
. He is also Chief Treaty Negotiator for the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council.In January 2011 he began a three year term as the North American Representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
External links
- http://www.fns.bc.ca/about/e_john.htm
- http://www.bcands.bc.ca/patrons/john.html
- http://www.ydli.org/cultinfo/bios.htm#edjohn