Jody Wilson-Raybould: A Woman

Born to Noble People

Jody Wilson-Raybould:
Canada’s former Justice Minister and Attorney General

Submitted by: Tyler Scharf

Submitted to: Mr. Van Hees
Course: Canadian History (CHC2D)
Due Date: May 31, 2019
 Canada’s former Attorney General and Justice Minister, Jody Wilson-Raybould, should

be considered among the greatest Canadians as a representative leader advocating for the rights

of minority groups. Politically, she proposed bills protecting transgender rights (Walker) and

updated laws regarding sexual and domestic violence inflicted upon people (Barnett, Casavant)

and animals (Walker). Socially, Jody Wilson-Raybould is a deep-rooted advocate and leader for

Canada’s Indigenous population, proven through her assistance in creating the ​BCAFN

Governance Toolkit: A Guide to Nation Building​ (Wilson-Raybould), her role in helping

Canada’s Indigenous population adapt to the integration of UNDRIP (Wilson-Raybould), and her

early statuses among groups such as the BC Treaty Commission (Schroeter) and the BC

Assembly of First Nations (GLOBE). Environmentally, she aided in protecting the Great Bear

Rainforest, Douglas Channel, and Hartley Bay — a region of the Gitga’at First Nation (Liberal

Video). Prior to her resignation, she has inspired several reconsiderations to Canada’s

environmental assessment processes (Linnitt), and enforced proper consultation with Indigenous

communities regarding pipelines and pipeline extensions (Vancouver Observer).

Jody Wilson-Raybould introduced bills C-16, C-51, C-75, C-78, and C-84 during her

time as Justice Minister (House of Commons). These bills protect and support many victims and

minority groups, including those among sexual and domestic abuse, transgender people, and

children.

C-16: a bill implemented to protect those who identify as transgender or gender-diverse

from discrimination. “​The bill adds “gender identity or expression” to the list of prohibited

grounds of discrimination in the ​Canadian Human Rights Act​ and the list of characteristics of

identifiable groups protected from hate propaganda in the ​Criminal Code​.” (Walker).

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 C-51: a bill which makes amendments to laws regarding sexual offences (sexual assault,

harassment, rape, sexual violence, etc.). More specifically, it criminalizes human trafficking and

“marital rape”, additionally ensuring equality among the victims, and combats stereotypes and

myths surrounding cases of sexual offences. Furthermore, specifying and reinforcing

consent(Casavant), and evidence is no longer required to support a spoken testimony provided by

a victim of a sexual offence.

C-75: a bill implemented to protect victims of domestic violence/abuse and adds the term

“intimate partner” to the Criminal Code. Importantly providing more protection to the victims of

domestic violence, whereas before, there was no specific offence relating to domestic violence,

merely plenty of offences in the Criminal Code, which overlap, only covering some offences, but

not all (Barnett).

C-78: according to the Department of Justice, the main goals of this bill are “to promote

the best interests of the child, address family violence, reduce child poverty, and make Canada’s

family justice system more accessible and efficient” (Azoulay). Implying during the act of a

divorce, the reference for custody is the best interests of the child and all factors of the

circumstances of said divorce. Aiming for minimal child involvement, as protecting the child

during a separation is a priority. C-78 ensures financial aid to support families dealing with

conflict, ensuring the child does not suffer (Azoulay).

C-84: this bill ensures any contact between a human and animal for sexual purposes is

criminalized, beastiality gets a definition in the criminal code, animal fighting is criminalized

along with any violence or cruelty directed towards an animal (Walker). These are only

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scratching the surface of the bills Canada’s former Justice Minister has introduced, proving her

compassion and leadership in assisting and protecting minority groups.

Another reason Jody-Wilson Raybould should be considered among the greatest

Canadians of all time is her significant role as an advocate for Indigenous rights. Being born in

British Columbia as a descendant of Musgamagw Tsawataineuk and Laich-Kwil-Tach peoples

(GLOBE), and the daughter of a First Nations hereditary chief, she naturally has a powerful

connection with Indigenous peoples and is passionate about their rights.

Before and even during her regime as Canada’s Attorney General and Justice Minister,

Raybould was a member of various advocacy groups and, consequently, elected twice as

Regional Chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations (GLOBE) — an advocacy group of First

Nations in BC for implementing their Aboriginal Title, Rights, and Treaty Rights through

exerting their “inherent laws and jurisdiction” (BCAFN). Jody-Wilson Raybould assisted in

creating the ​BCAFN Governance Toolkit: A Guide to Nation Building​ (Wilson-Raybould), which

aids a Nation in pulling out from under the Indian Act and building/rebuilding governance

surrounding the implementation of UNDRIP (Wilson-Raybould) — United Nation Declaration

on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. By creating this guide with her husband, she helped British

Columbia’s First Nations to increase opportunity and prosper economically (Wilson-Raybould).

Additionally, one of Raybould’s roles as an advocate for Indigenous rights includes her

role as a process advisor at the BC Treaty Commission (Schroeter) — an organization

responsible for expediting treaty negotiations among First Nations in British Columbia, and the

governments of Canada and British Columbia (BC Treaty Commission). Furthermore, the Chiefs

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of the First Nations Summit elected her as Commissioner at the BC Treaty Commission

(Schroeter).

Lastly, Jody-Wilson Raybould sustained the kickoff of the National Inquiry into Missing

and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (United Church of Canada), helping to protect,

connect, and engage with national and regional organizations and communities, as well as

continuing extensive research to display the violence towards Canadian Indigenous women and

girls (MMIWG).

Environmentally, Jody-Wilson Raybould has done everything in her power to protect

First Nations regions and territory, not just for the sake of the communities, but for the wildlife

as well.

The Great Bear Rainforest, Douglas Channel, and Hartley Bay are all part of the region

of the Gitga’at First Nation, and a tourist attraction, and currently protected from hunting and

logging (Hunter) — thanks to Raybould — stretching across British Columbia’s coast from the

north of Vancouver Island to the Alaska Panhandle (Hunter). This conservation was possible

because Canada’s former Justice Minister and Attorney General was, and still is, a voice and

large representative of First Nations communities. Through her efforts in communicating with

the First Nations and helping amplify their concerns and complaints, they were able to get the

forest protected (Liberal Video).

Previously, Raybould assisted in overturning the approval of Enbridge Northern Gateway

pipeline by talking to First Nations communities to hear the concerns both economically and

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environmentally regarding the ENG pipeline, and helping create accommodations, compromises,

and alternate solutions (Vancouver Observer).

Subsequently, by writing a letter on the Kinder Morgan pipeline, Raybould inspired the

Liberal government to release a public review of Canada’s environmental assessment processes,

and make changes to said processes based on the review. Before making any decisions regarding

pipelines and pipeline extensions, she enforced and ensured proper consultation with Indigenous

communities (Linnitt).

Proposing bills protecting transgender rights (Walker), updating laws regarding sexual

and domestic violence inflicted upon people (Barnett, Casavant) and animals (Walker). Assisting

in creating the ​BCAFN Governance Toolkit: A Guide to Nation Building ​(Wilson-Raybould) and

helping Canada’s Indigenous population adapt to the integration of UNDRIP

(Wilson-Raybould). Protecting many First Nations regions (Liberal Video), inspiring several

reconsiderations to Canada’s environmental assessment processes (Linnitt), enforcing proper

consultation with Indigenous communities regarding pipelines and pipeline extensions

(Vancouver Observer). These are only a few examples of Jody-Wilson Raybould’s tremendous

achievements in improving the country of Canada.

Although she has moved on to a new chapter in her life, Jody-Wilson Raybould will

always be one of the leading Indigenous and minority representatives in history and should be

considered amongst the greatest Canadians.

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Azoulay, Karine, et al. “Legislative Summary of Bill C-78: An Act to Amend the Divorce Act,
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Barnett, Laura, et al. “Legislative Summary of Bill C‑75: An Act to Amend the Criminal Code,
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Hunter, Justine. “Final Agreement Reached to Protect B.C.'s Great Bear Rainforest.” ​The Globe
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“Jody Wilson-Raybould, BC Regional Chief, Assembly First of Nations.” ​GLOBE Series​, 2014
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Linnitt, Carol. “Federal Approval of Kinder Morgan Pipeline Would Be 'Misguided' Says Justice
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ctory-overturning-approval-enbridge.
Accessed 17 April 2019.

Schroeter, Annette. “BCAFN REGIONAL CHIEF APPLAUDS MP JODY

WILSON-RAYBOULD.” ​British Columbia Assembly of First Nations,​ BCAFN,
2 Mar. 2019, bcafn.ca/bcafn-regional-chief-applauds-mp-jody-wilson-raybould/.
Accessed 17 April 2019.

“THE HONOURABLE JODY WILSON-RAYBOULD - WORK - HOUSE OF COMMONS

OF CANADA.” ​House of Commons​, Parliament of Canada, 2015,
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Accessed 17 April 2019.

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(Bestiality and Animal Fighting).” ​Library of Parliament​, Parliament of Canada,
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Wilson-Raybould, Jody, and Tim Raybould. “Governance-Toolkit.pdf” BCAFN, 2014.

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Wilson-Raybould, Jody. “Assembly of First Nations.” 12 July 2016, Niagara Falls, ON,
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