Jody Wilson-Raybould facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould PC OBC KC
Puglaas
Minister of Veterans Affairs Associate Minister of National Defence
In office January 14 – February 12, 2019
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Seamus O'Regan
Succeeded by	Lawrence MacAulay
Minister of Justice Attorney General of Canada
In office November 4, 2015 – January 14, 2019
Prime Minister	Justin Trudeau
Preceded by	Peter MacKay
Succeeded by	David Lametti
Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville
In office October 19, 2015 – September 20, 2021
Preceded by	Riding established
Succeeded by	Taleeb Noormohamed
Personal details
Born	Jody Wilson (1971-03-23) March 23, 1971 (age 54) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	Liberal (until April 2019)
Spouse	Tim Raybould ​ (m. 2008)​
Relations	Bill Wilson (father) Bev Sellars (stepmother) Alfred Scow (uncle)
Residence	Vancouver
Education	University of Victoria (BA) University of British Columbia (JD)

Jody Wilson-Raybould (born March 23, 1971) is a Canadian lawyer and author. She is also known by her initials JWR and her Kwak’wala name Puglaas. She served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Vancouver Granville in British Columbia from 2015 to 2021.

She was first elected with the Liberal Party of Canada. She was the Justice Minister and Attorney General from 2015 to 2019. She also briefly served as Veterans Affairs Minister in 2019. She later resigned from her role due to disagreements with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. After leaving the Liberal Party, she continued to serve in Parliament as an independent MP. She was re-elected in 2019 but did not run in 2021.

Before becoming a federal politician, she worked as a lawyer in British Columbia. She was also a treaty commissioner and a regional chief for the BC Assembly of First Nations.

Early Life and Education

Jody Wilson-Raybould's mother is of European descent. Her father comes from the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk and Laich-kwil-tach peoples. These groups are part of the Kwakwakaʼwakw (Kwak’wala-speaking peoples). She is a member of the We Wai Kai Nation.

Her father, Bill Wilson, was a First Nations hereditary chief, politician, and lawyer. Her mother, Sandra Wilson, was a teacher. Jody was born in Vancouver. In 1983, her father told then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau that his daughters hoped to become lawyers and prime minister one day.

Jody was raised by her mother on Vancouver Island. She went to Robert Scott Elementary School and later graduated from Highland Secondary School.

She studied political science and history at the University of Victoria. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996. Then, she studied law at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law. In 2008, she married Tim Raybould, a First Nations consultant.

Career Highlights

Working as a Crown Attorney

Jody Wilson-Raybould became a lawyer in 2000. She worked as a provincial Crown attorney in Vancouver from 2000 to 2003. This experience showed her how many Indigenous and vulnerable people were involved in the justice system. It strengthened her desire to work in public service.

Role at the BC Treaty Commission

In 2003, she joined the BC Treaty Commission. This group helps negotiate treaties between First Nations and the government. In 2004, First Nations chiefs elected her as a commissioner. She worked there for almost seven years. She was known for helping different groups work together during complex treaty talks. She helped the Tsawwassen First Nation achieve the first treaty under the BC Treaty Process.

We Wai Kai Council Work

In 2009, Wilson-Raybould was elected to the council for the We Wai Kai Nation. This role helped her understand and commit to advocating for First Nations' governance. She helped her community develop a land code. This allowed them to move away from parts of the Indian Act. She also helped the We Wai Kai Nation manage its finances and property taxes. From 2013 to 2015, she chaired the First Nations Finance Authority (FNFA). This organization helps First Nations borrow money for community projects.

Leading the BC Assembly of First Nations

Wilson-Raybould was first elected regional chief of the BC Assembly of First Nations in 2009. She was re-elected in 2012 with strong support. As regional chief, she focused on helping First Nations build strong governments. She worked to empower Indigenous peoples to use the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. She also worked to ensure that Aboriginal and treaty rights were recognized.

She co-authored the BCAFN Governance Toolkit. This guide helps First Nations transition their governance away from the Indian Act. She also worked on Bill S-212, which aimed to recognize First Nations self-government. She participated in important talks with then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2012. She pushed for solutions to First Nations issues, including governance reform. She believed that good governance helps societies succeed economically, socially, and politically.

Federal Politics

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Jody Wilson-Raybould was a co-chair for the Liberal Convention in 2014. She was chosen to run for the Vancouver Granville riding on July 31, 2014. She was seen as close to Liberal leader Justin Trudeau. She focused on democratic reform, balancing the environment and economy, Indigenous affairs, and affordable housing.

Some people questioned if she could continue as regional chief while running for election. However, the BC Assembly of First Nations supported her. She stepped down as regional chief in June 2015. She was elected as an MP in the October 19, 2015, general election. She won with 43.9% of the votes.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General

On November 4, 2015, Wilson-Raybould became the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. She was the first Indigenous person and third woman to hold this important role. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave her a list of tasks. These included responding to the Supreme Court's decision on medical assistance in dying. .....

She introduced Bill C-14, which allowed medical assistance in dying. This bill became law in June 2016. She also introduced Bill C-16. This bill added gender identity and expression as protected grounds against discrimination. It became law in June 2017.

Meeting with US Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson in Ottawa on October 26, 2016

She worked to change how the government handles legal cases involving Indigenous peoples. In 2017, she became chair of a group of ministers. This group reviewed federal laws and policies that affect Indigenous rights. They created "Principles respecting the Government of Canada's relationship with Indigenous peoples."

..... She also introduced Bill C-46. ..... It became law in June 2018.

She introduced Bill C-75 to help speed up the criminal justice system. This bill made changes to bail reform and jury selection. It also ended the use of peremptory challenges in jury selection. This change came after a controversial trial involving the death of Colten Boushie. ..... It became law in December 2018.

In May 2018, she introduced Bill C-78. This bill made major changes to Canadian family law. It aimed to promote the best interests of children and make the family justice system more efficient. She also introduced Bill C-84 in October 2018. .....

Wilson-Raybould also changed the process for appointing judges across Canada. The goal was to make the process more transparent and diverse. In June 2018, it was reported that more women were being appointed as judges. She also created a new process for appointing judges to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Minister of Veterans Affairs

On January 14, 2019, Prime Minister Trudeau changed his cabinet. Wilson-Raybould was assigned the role of Minister of Veterans Affairs. She resigned from the cabinet on February 12, 2019.

The SNC-Lavalin Affair

In February 2019, news reports suggested that the Prime Minister's Office tried to influence Wilson-Raybould. This was about a legal case involving a company called SNC-Lavalin. Prime Minister Trudeau said he never directed her on the case. Wilson-Raybould did not comment at first, citing legal privilege. She resigned from the cabinet on February 12.

After her resignation, she spoke to the House of Commons. She later gave detailed testimony to the House of Commons justice committee. She shared her view of the events, including a secretly recorded phone call. In this call, a senior government official told her that the Prime Minister wanted a specific outcome for SNC-Lavalin.

On April 2, 2019, Prime Minister Trudeau removed Wilson-Raybould from the Liberal Party. He said her secretly recording the conversation was "unconscionable." Other political leaders criticized this decision. They said she showed integrity by standing firm.

In August 2019, the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner released a report. The report stated that Prime Minister Trudeau improperly pressured Wilson-Raybould. It said this violated the Conflict of Interest Act. Trudeau said he accepted the report but disagreed with its findings. Wilson-Raybould said the report confirmed she acted correctly.

2019 Election and Beyond

After being removed from the Liberal Party, Wilson-Raybould decided to run for re-election as an independent candidate. On October 21, 2019, she won the election. She became the first woman to be elected as an independent Member of Canadian Parliament.

In July 2021, she announced that she would not run in the 2021 federal election. She also published a book about reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

Awards and Recognition

Jody Wilson-Raybould has received many awards for her work.

• In 2011, she received an award from the Minerva Foundation for BC Women.
• In 2012, she received a distinguished alumni award from the University of Victoria.
• In 2015, she was named a Diversity 50 candidate by the Canadian Board Diversity Council.
• In 2017, she received the first Indigenous Women in Leadership Award from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.
• In 2017, the Macdonald–Laurier Institute named her Policy-Maker of the Year.
• In 2018, Harvard Women's Law Association honored her as an International Women's Day Honouree.
• MADD Canada gave her a Citizen of Distinction award in 2018. This was for her work to strengthen Canada's impaired driving laws.

In March 2018, Wilson-Raybould helped unveil an Inuit inukshuk at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. This gift from Canada showed support for the ICC.

Personal Life

On November 29, 2008, Jody Wilson married Tim Raybould. He is a First Nations consultant and social anthropologist.

Electoral Record