VICTORIA -The members of the new Advisory Council on Aboriginal Women were confirmed today by Mary Polak, Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.

The council was first announced on the final day of the Collaboration to End Violence: National Aboriginal Women's Forum in June. Since June, government has been talking to Aboriginal leaders across the province to ensure that the council is representative of a broad cross-section of Aboriginal groups.

The council will provide advice to government through the minister on how to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal women in B.C. Some of the tasks for the council members include:

• Providing advice and recommendations to government to ensure programs supporting Aboriginal women will respond to their needs, build on effective practices and success, and be supported by key partners.
• Reviewing, revising and helping implement an engagement plan if required, such as co-hosting discussions with partners and communities.
• Reviewing, revising and maintaining a progress report on outcomes.

The council will be chaired by leading Aboriginal women's advocate Wendy Grant-John.

The other council members bring a range of experience and knowledge from regions across B.C. and were selected from a diverse range of Aboriginal people and organizations:

• Interior: Charlene Belleau, Esketemc First Nation
• Northcentral: Mary Tegee, Takla Lake First Nations
• South: Chief Kim Baird, Tsawwassen First Nation
• Southeast: Sophie Pierre, St Mary's Indian Band
• Island: Darlene Shackelly, Kwakiutl First Nation
• Northeast/Métis: Paulette Flamond
• Island/Urban: Debbie Williams, Cowichan Tribes
• Downtown East Side: Judy Graves

Quick Facts:

• The council will report to government through the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation.
• The council will run for a two-year term, meeting quarterly and at least twice a year with the minister.

Learn More:

For more information including the Terms of Reference for the Minister's Advisory Council on Aboriginal women, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/arrr

A backgrounder follows.

Contact:

Maria Wilkie
Communications Director
Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
250 953-3211
250 361-7720 (cell)

BACKGROUNDER

Nov. 8, 2011 Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation

Biographies of council members

Wendy Grant-John (Chair)

Wendy Grant-John is a mother, grandmother, former chief of the Musqueam Nation and the first woman to be elected as vice-chief to the Assembly of First Nations. She has been working to advance Aboriginal cultural, social and political issues for more than 30 years.

Charlene Belleau

Charlene Belleau of the Esketemc First Nation is from the Interior of British Columbia. She is a former Chief of her First Nation and is currently Director of the Residential Schools Unit of the Assembly of First Nations.

Mary Tegee

Mary Tegee is from the Takla Lake First Nations in northcentral B.C. She is the Carrier Sekani Family Services Director and provides cross-cultural training to agencies and individuals who offer services to the Carrier Sekani people. She believes that community wellness depends on nurturing tradition, cultural values and the environment.

Chief Kim Baird

Chief Kim Baird is from the Tsawwassen First Nation on the Lower Mainland. Chief Baird has served as Chief of the Tsawwassen First Nation since 1999. She successfully negotiated B.C.'s first urban treaty and has the distinction of being the first Aboriginal women to address the B.C. legislature in October 2007 when the Tsawwassen Treaty legislation process was initiated.

Sophie Pierre

Sophie Pierre is the current Chief Commissioner of the B.C. Treaty Commission. She led the St. Mary's Indian Band for 30 years as elected chief and was the administrator of the Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Tribal Council for 25 years. She has also served on the boards of many major organizations, including BC Hydro and the First People's Congress.

Darlene Shackelly

Darlene Shackelly, Executive Director of the Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of BC. Darlene is from the Kwakiutl First Nation on Vancouver Island and is a member of the Nooaitch First Nation band. She has dedicated the last 28 years to working with the Native Courtworker and Counselling Association of British Columbia, and has been the Executive Director for the past 10 years.

Paulette Flamond

Paulette Flamond is from Northeast B.C. Paulette currently sits on the Native Economic Development Advisory Board for the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, and is currently Vice President of the B.C. Aboriginal Business Service Network Society and a Board Member of the Fort St. John Métis Society.

In 2007, she was appointed to the Northern Development Initiative Trust and in 2009 was awarded an Aurora Award of Distinction as the Aboriginal Women of the Year as well as the Economic Developer of the Year by the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers.

Debbie Williams

Debbie Williams is the Executive Director of the Hiiye'yu Lelum House of Friendship Association in Duncan on Vancouver Island, and has an urban Aboriginal focus. She also serves as the Representative to the National Association of Friendship Centres Board of Directors, an ex-officio position to the B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres Executive Committee.

Judy Graves

Judy Graves has worked for many years in Vancouver's Downtown East Side. She is a City of Vancouver Housing Advocate for Vancouver's Homeless Outreach Program and has worked with the city's homeless since 1974, most recently coordinating City Hall's Tenant Assistance program, which aims to mitigate the impact of development on low-income tenants and the homeless. She has received honourary doctorates from the University of British Columbia and Corpus Christi College.

Contact:

Maria Wilkie
Communications Director
Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation
250 953-3211
250 361-7720 (cell)