Wendy Grant-John
Encyclopedia
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 election for National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. From 1997 until 2002 she served as Associate Regional Director-General of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs for British Columbia.
Grant-John has been involved in the development and operation of several businesses. As Musqueam chief, she helped to create the first aboriginal commercial fishery in Canada and was a founder of Musqueam Weavers, a company that revitalized the local tradition of weaving. She also oversaw the acquisition of Celtic Shipyards and the Fraser Arms Hotel. She currently operates the Longhouse Seafood Market.
As Musqueam chief she played a major role in two important aboriginal rights cases decided by the Supreme Court of Canada
: R. v. Guerin
and R. v. Sparrow
.
Grant-John has served as a lay bencher
of the Law Society of British Columbia and as a Commissioner of the Pacific Salmon Commission. She was a founding member and director of the Aboriginal Healing Commission in 1998.
Grant-John received the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for Social Action in 2001, an honorary Doctor of Laws from Royal Roads University
in 2003, and a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Community Development in 2006. In the fall of 2011 she will receive another honorary doctorate from
Simon Fraser University
.
Grant-John is married to Edward John
and has four children from her previous marriage to Howard Grant. She is the daughter of former Musqueam chief Willard Sparrow and sister of Gail Sparrow.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. 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
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 1997 Grant-John came in second to Phil Fontaine
Phil Fontaine
Larry Phillip Fontaine, OM is an Aboriginal Canadian leader. He completed his third and final term as National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations in 2009....
in the election for National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. From 1997 until 2002 she served as Associate Regional Director-General of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs for British Columbia.
Grant-John has been involved in the development and operation of several businesses. As Musqueam chief, she helped to create the first aboriginal commercial fishery in Canada and was a founder of Musqueam Weavers, a company that revitalized the local tradition of weaving. She also oversaw the acquisition of Celtic Shipyards and the Fraser Arms Hotel. She currently operates the Longhouse Seafood Market.
As Musqueam chief she played a major role in two important aboriginal rights cases decided by the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
: R. v. Guerin
R. v. Guerin
Guerin v. The Queen [1984] 2 S.C.R. 335 was a landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision on aboriginal rights where the Court first stated that the government has a fiduciary duty towards the First Nations of Canada and established aboriginal title to be a sui generis right.-Background:The Musqueam...
and R. v. Sparrow
R. v. Sparrow
R. v. Sparrow, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1075 was an important decision of the Supreme Court of Canada concerning the application of Aboriginal rights under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982...
.
Grant-John has served as a lay bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
of the Law Society of British Columbia and as a Commissioner of the Pacific Salmon Commission. She was a founding member and director of the Aboriginal Healing Commission in 1998.
Grant-John received the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for Social Action in 2001, an honorary Doctor of Laws from Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University is a public university located in Colwood, Greater Victoria, British Columbia, that describes itself as "Canada's University for Working Professionals".-Overview:...
in 2003, and a National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Community Development in 2006. In the fall of 2011 she will receive another honorary doctorate from
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
.
Grant-John is married to Edward John
Edward John
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 in the Lusilyoo...
and has four children from her previous marriage to Howard Grant. She is the daughter of former Musqueam chief Willard Sparrow and sister of Gail Sparrow.