Grand Chief Steven Point, Xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl, has been appointed as a member of the BC First Nations Justice Council About (BCFNJC).
Point, who is from Chilliwack, was appointed to serve a three-year term by the First Nations Leadership Council, which is comprised of the BC Assembly of First Nations, the First Nations Summit, and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs.
A press release from the council was released on Feb. 5 announcing the appointment.
“As a lawyer and provincial court judge, the first Indigenous lieutenant-governor of British Columbia, and former Chief of Skowkale First Nation, among his numerous other roles, the honourable Steven Point leads an esteemed career, deeply committed to community leadership and Indigenous justice,” the release stated.
Point joins six other council members in guiding the organization’s work to bring about transformative change to the current justice system and to revitalize First Nations legal structures.
He has been assigned the Corrections and Courts portfolios and will also serve as liaison between council and BCFNJC’s Elders and Knowledge Keepers Council.
“This work is difficult and will take time, but it is with the guidance of leaders like Grand Chief Steven Point that we will be successful in making lasting systemic change to the justice system, and fulfill our mandate to reduce the overincarceration of Indigenous people in B.C,” said Hemas Kla-Lee-Lee-Kla, Kory Wilson, chair of BCFNJC.
Grand Chief Point has practiced Indigenous law and criminal law in B.C. for over 40 years and was the first Indigenous lieutenant-governor of British Columbia; a position he held for five years. Prior to that, he served as Chief of Sq’ewqéyl First Nation, and as Grand Chief of Stó:lō Tribal Council. He has been Chair of UBC’s Indigenous Advisory Committee, Chancellor of UBC, and was Chief Commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission, among numerous other roles.
He has received the Order of Canada, the Order of British Columbia, and both the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee medals. He has received Honorary Doctorates of Laws from the University of the Fraser Valley, University of Victoria, University of British Columbia, and Capilano University.
BCFNJC represents the 204 First Nations in B.C. on justice-related issues and has been entrusted with the mandate to transform the justice system and create better outcomes for Indigenous people.
Through the implementation of the BC First Nations Justice Strategy, BCFNJC is working to reform the current justice system and to support the rebuilding of Indigenous legal structures.
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